January 29, 2025

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him …”

Colossians 2:6 (ESV)

“Prayer just isn’t working,” I confessed to my friend as we huddled in the back of our favorite coffee shop.

I was trudging through a season of unexpected loss, and my relationship with Jesus felt stilted and strained. The candid conversations I once shared with my Savior had dwindled. The pages of my prayer journal sat empty. My words seemed strangled by the weight of disappointment and the ache of my hurting heart.

How could I pray if I had nothing to say?

“Maybe you should stop worrying about talking to Jesus and just focus on walking with Him,” my friend gently urged.

Her suggestion was a surprising echo of a Bible verse I’d read that morning and jotted down as a tangible reminder to keep pursuing Christ. I pulled a scrap of paper from my purse and showed my friend my sloppy scribbles: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6).

The Greek word translated as “walk” in this verse doesn’t merely refer to the act of moving our feet. It conveys the idea of keeping company with someone; it implies a shared journey.

Colossians 2:6 isn’t a commentary on our gait — it’s a call for connection.

That sliver of Scripture, along with my friend’s timely words, challenged me to find a new way to connect with Jesus in the midst of my discouragement. Instead of staring at the blank pages of my prayer journal, I began taking a daily walk through the woods in my backyard. As I strolled that tree-lined trail, my presence became my prayer.

The sheer act of showing up was my way of saying, Jesus, I’ll walk with You even though I’m struggling to talk to You. I’ll draw near even when You feel far away.

Once I committed to spending time with Jesus, I recognized He was with me too. I heard His joy in the birdsong above my head and noticed His playfulness in the skittering squirrels. I spied His faithfulness in the changing seasons and His strength in the deep-rooted trees.

In my season of weary hope and waning words, my definition of prayer expanded. I discovered that sometimes prayer is brazen cries on bended knees, and sometimes it’s angry tears and silent pleas. Prayer is expressed with honest words as well as with surrendered steps.

So if you’re struggling to pray, dear friend, don’t give up! Connect with Jesus today by letting your presence speak where your words fall short. Then do it again tomorrow.

Prayer may not always involve speaking up, but it does require showing up. And when we show up with a thread of hope and a humble heart, we find Jesus is already there, ready and willing to share our journey and hear our prayers.

Dear Jesus, help me keep company with You today so I can know You more deeply tomorrow. Teach me how to pray with and without words. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.