Paul cared deeply about the people he worked with. He can sometimes be viewed as a Type A, driven, world evangelist, but he genuinely loved his friends and colleagues. Paul’s concern involved more than trite cliches. He prayed. Fervently. Regularly.
When you pray for someone consistently, your prayers change you. You cannot regularly pray for people without growing in your love for them. Praying for others helps you turn your focus from yourself and on to the growth and well being of others. God’s heart for people is laid over your heart. You begin to recognize God’s activity in their lives. You also learn to recognize how your life can be a part of the answer to your prayers. Even as you ask God to work in the life of others, God will invariably do a fresh work in you.
What a blessing to work with someone like Paul! What confidence it must have given Timothy to know that, even as Paul gave him demanding assignments, he also agonized in prayer for his proteges success.
How regularly, fervently, and faithfully do you pray for those you work with?