What do you pray for those around you?

We can learn from Paul’s prayer for the church of Ephesus, which he shares in this first chapter of Ephesians. Notice what he does not pray for. It’s not for material blessings, careers or smooth-sailing lives.

Instead, Paul’s prayer for these believers focuses entirely on their spirituality. He begins by thanking God for their faith and their love for others (Eph 1:15-16). Strong faith and genuine love are gifts from God, reflecting how His Spirit has transformed us. When was the last time we paused to thank God for someone’s faith?

Next, Paul prays that the believers would know God more deeply, with hearts opened to see 3 things:
the hope of His calling,
the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and
the greatness of His power towards us—the very power that raised Christ from the dead.

These point to 1 beautiful truth: we are precious to God, lifted by hope and rescued from death into eternal life (Eph 1:17-19).

Paul could pray for others this way because the eyes of his heart were already opened to these things. Spiritual sight values knowing Christ far above anything in this world (Phil 3:7-8). Yet, knowing Christ is not merely knowing His name. It is experiencing His truth so deeply that it transforms our lives, values, and the way we see the world.

Hence, when we think about pastoring others, we must first reflect on our own hearts. Out of our heart flows everything we do (Prov 4:23), including how we love and pray for God’s children. If our hearts are set on earthly things rather than spiritual things (Col 3:2), then our prayers for others will tend to focus on temporary needs rather than eternal, spiritual ones.

As we strive to love others better as faithful servants of God, our prayers can echo the words of this song, based on Ephesians 1:18:

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
I want to see You.
To see You high and lifted up,
Shining in the light of Your glory
Pour out your power and love,
As we sing, “Holy, holy, holy.”
I want to see You.