Do you ever feel claustrophobic when you think about your life? Maybe overwhelmed is the better expression. It’s when you feel everything is falling apart or that you’re losing control little by little or you can’t seem to shake stress or drama in your life. Praying and reading the Word are the best responses we can take. These two actions give us perspective. Let me also recommend something a little more specific that might help: pray for missions. Taking time to see where the gospel is being proclaimed and being part of the global work of God by praying for missions is sometimes just the thing to help us gain perspective. Paul obviously had a heart for missions. He was a missionary, trained missionaries, and prayed for missions in many different ways.
Paul prayed for the salvation of others (Romans 10:1). In addition to praying for his countrymen, he also kept track of and prayed for all of the churches he planted and ministered to. He had a heart for sharing the gospel abroad and kept up with the gospel on his home front. He didn’t just pray for the salvation of the people near him. If Paul’s busy life as a missionary, apostle, healer, preacher, traveler, author, and tentmaker still allowed time to pray night and day for the advancement of the gospel, I think we should be able to squeeze in some time to pray for the salvation of others around the world.
Paul prayed that others would share their faith (Philemon 6). We should be praying for the local Christians we know to have boldness in sharing the gospel, but we should add to that list names of missionaries who need massive encouragement in their hard work. Philemon was leagues away from Paul’s location and Paul still was praying that Philemon would share his faith. Our tiny community is not the only place the gospel needs to be proclaimed.
Paul asked others to pray that he would have the words and boldness to share the gospel (Eph. 6:19-20). But wait, Paul was amazing, why did he need to ask others to pray for him? This should be an encouragement that no matter how mature we think we are, we can and should always be asking others to help us by praying for us. When we ask others to pray that we would share the gospel, be ready for them to request an update on your evangelizing! Asking others to pray for us creates an accountability that will remind us to be intentional about sharing our faith.
So how can we be like Paul and pray for missions? First, find out which missionaries your church supports. Many churches have their missionaries right on their websites or in a booklet at the church. Most churches have some sort of prayer chain that you can join to keep updated. You can also check out the website Joshua Project for specifics on praying for unreached people groups. Or reach out to your favorite missions agency and pray through their missionaries. You might have to spend a few minutes searching, but in this day and age you should always be able to find missionaries to pray for.
Perspective on our situation in life comes when we get outside of our small minds and take a look at God’s global plan. Praying for missions reminds us that drama and petty squabbles and the real hardships we endure are nothing compared to an eternity without Christ. This glimpse of eternity wakes us to the reality that we are here with a mission that is being carried out locally and abroad. Take part in the gospel by praying for missions and you will surely begin to see life differently!
I thank my God always
when I remember you in my prayers,
because I hear of your love
and of the faith that you have
toward the Lord Jesus and
for all the saints,
and I pray that the sharing of your faith
may become effective
for the full knowledge
of every good thing
that is in us for the sake of Christ.
-Philemon 4-6
Perpetual Felicities 
What a good reminder to look outside our own little day-to-day concerns and pray for those who are reaching out to the many, many who don’t even know about Christ! Humbling, for sure.
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