Paul’s Prayers Should Make Us Uncomfortable
[The observations in this article come from a recent sermon by my husband titled “Praying Like Paul.”]
Paul’s prayers have a way of making us uncomfortable. Not because they are difficult to understand, but because they reveal what mattered most to Paul, and that stands in contrast to what our prayers often say about us.
We usually focus on circumstances; he focused on eternal realities. Our prayers often revolve around ourselves and those closest to us. Paul certainly loved those nearest to him, but his prayers reveal a broad concern for God’s people and gospel ministry.
Since God chose to preserve these prayers for us, that difference is worth paying attention to.
Of course, we do not have every prayer Paul ever prayed, but we have the prayers God wanted us to have. And since “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching” (2 Timothy 3:16), Paul’s prayers have something to teach us.
So what do we learn?
1. Paul prayed a lot.
In his thirteen letters, there are at least thirty-two explicit prayers, along with numerous references to prayer. Prayer wasn’t something Paul did occasionally; it was woven into the fabric of his life.
Paul’s instinct was to pray. He depended on prayer. He regularly turned to the Lord.
2. Paul focused on others.
When Paul’s prayers are studied as a whole, one thing becomes clear: his focus was overwhelmingly outward. He cared deeply about people, and that concern regularly drove him to prayer.
3. Paul was profoundly grateful.
Much of Paul’s praying involved thanksgiving. He thanked God for believers, for evidence of God’s grace in their lives, and for the work God was accomplishing in his people.
Gratitude wasn’t an occasional part of Paul’s prayers; it was one of their dominant themes.
4. Paul thought carefully about who he was talking to.
Paul did not address God in generic terms. His prayers reveal a man who thought deeply about God’s character.
He prayed to the “Father of glory” (Ephesians 1:17), the “God of hope” (Romans 15:13), the “God of endurance and encouragement” (Romans 15:5), and the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3).
Paul’s view of God shaped the way he prayed.
5. Paul frequently prayed about sanctification.
This may be the most striking lesson of all.
Again and again, Paul prayed that believers would grow in holiness. He prayed for spiritual wisdom, greater love, deeper knowledge of God, steadfastness, discernment, faithfulness, and worthy lives that pleased the Lord.
Of course, Paul sometimes prayed about circumstances. He prayed for travel plans, ministry opportunities, protection, and practical needs.
But compared to many of our prayers, circumstances occupied surprisingly little space.
Paul seemed far more concerned with who people were becoming than with what was happening to them. His greatest concern was not merely that believers would have easier lives, but that they would become more like Christ.
6. Paul often prayed for unity among God’s people.
The health and unity of the church mattered deeply to Paul.
Again and again, he brought believers before the Lord and prayed that they would be united in Christ.
7. Paul wasn’t afraid to ask for prayer.
Although Paul focused heavily on others, he also recognized his own dependence on God.
He regularly asked believers to pray for him—that he would be effective in ministry, faithful in his calling, bold in proclaiming the gospel, and pleasing to the Lord.
Humility and dependence marked his life.
8. Paul often ended with praise.
Paul’s eyes were not fixed primarily on his requests but on the God to whom he prayed.
Many of his prayers naturally ended in praise because his eyes were fixed on the greatness of God.
9. Above all, Paul wanted God to be glorified.
This is the thread that ties everything together.
More than comfort. More than safety. More than success. More than favorable circumstances. Paul wanted God to be glorified. Everything else flowed from that desire.
What About Us?
We are not the Apostle Paul, but his prayers should challenge us. They certainly challenge me.
Do we care enough about people to pray for them?
Are we grateful for God’s work in the lives of others?
Do we think carefully about the God we are addressing?
Do we care as much about spiritual growth as we do about daily circumstances?
Do we care about the unity and health of Christ’s church?
Are we humble enough to ask others to pray for us?
And above all, is God’s glory truly our aim? It ought to be.
Paul’s prayers may make us uncomfortable, but perhaps that discomfort is a gift. God preserved these prayers not merely to inform us, but to shape us.
May they teach us to pray with more gratitude, more concern for others, and above all, a greater desire to see Christ displayed and God glorified.
If you’d like to study Paul’s prayers for yourself, here are ten excellent places to start:
1. Romans 15:5–6
2. Romans 15:13
3. Ephesians 1:15–23
4. Ephesians 3:14–21
5. Philippians 1:9–11
6. Colossians 1:9–14
7. 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
8. 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
9. 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12
10. Philemon 4–6