Beginning in Colossians 1:9, Paul says that he prays that five things will be true of the Colossian believers:
- First, he prays that they might know God's will.
- Second, he prays that they might know God's will by knowing His Word.
- Third, he prays that on the basis of that knowledge that they will walk worthy of the Lord.
- Fourth, he prays that the result of that worthy walk will be spiritual fruit.
- And fifth, he prays that they would be "strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power."
And then, finally, at the end of verse 11, Paul comes to the ultimate purpose for all of these things. This, Paul says, is the result that God wants to build into your life through this process: "Patience and longsuffering with joy."
That short but powerful phrase is a summary of the characteristics that God desires for every Christian to exhibit in this life. This is God's program for you as an individual Christian: To build "patience and longsuffering with joy" within you, to His glory.
This week in our current series, "Christ Above All: Studies in Colossians," we explore the Biblical meaning and importance of each of the key words in that phrase: patience - longsuffering - and joy.