“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Living enough years gives you time to look back on the mistakes of your life with some degree of understanding. It seems to me that virtually every mistake, sin, or mess-up in my life has come from failing to understand and appropriate the truth of Colossians 3:3. It’s really very simple…I died. In responding to the call of Christ, I was crucified with him and it is no longer I who live.

Rather than a morbid thinking of death, in reality this brings astonishing freedom. I don’t have to worry about “me” anymore. Dead men have no worries. Since there is still some degree of strength and energy in this body, I am now free to focus on God and others. What joy it brings to not worry about self, living free to love others!

This dying-to-self life of freedom and joy must carry over into our prayer life. Free from the burden of worrying about self, I am free instead to give myself to intercession for others. Why would I spend the majority of my prayer time praying for myself and my needs? I’m a dead man! I am able to pour out my prayers for others knowing that my life is “hidden with Christ” and totally provided for. God, of course, wants to hear my needs and desires; however, He also wants me to intentionally focus upon His kingdom purposes rather than defaulting always to my own issues. “Dead men praying” should be a good description of our life of prayer.