Prayer and the wrestling team

I haven't read in Colossians for a while but picked up there last week.  It's short and easy to read in one setting, but like most of the books of the Bible a quick read just doesn't do it justice.  I am working my way through it a second time since there is a lot of good stuff packed into those four chapters.  The nugget that has struck me is found in the last one.

Colossians 4:12
"He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured."

(For you detail people - this is Paul referring to Epaphras, who is praying for their fellow believers in Colosse.)

The part that really struck me is the word 'wrestling'.  I think  I know that often times I feel as though if I don't take something and just leave it with the Lord that I am lacking faith.   But here it is, in written form, proof that somethings are worth wrestling over.

I have spent a good amount of time this summer wrestling with the Lord with regard to my business.  I am scared to give up that part of me, even though I know that it is the right thing to do.  I have struggled over our finances and {finally!} conceded that I am not in control of them - I'm simply the vessel that tells the bank to make the payments.  I have wrestled over and over and over again regarding school for Miss E.  Home or public?  What is the right thing for our family, for our child?

I wrestle about so many things.  My parents seriously need a house.  We need a roof.  I need a nap.  Ha!

And I don't think that any of these things are lesser things to worry over - anything that affects me is worth taking to the Lord in prayer - but do I wrestle over the right things?  Do I wrestle in prayer over matters of God's Kingdom or just those of Laura's kingdom?  Is my wrestling really wrestle worthy?  I don't know if there really is an answer for this.  

The two questions that came to mind about this verse are:

Who is wrestling in prayer for me? and Who do I wrestle in prayer for?

I know that my mom holds me before the Lord often and much.  I hope that my husband does.  That doesn't seem like a large wrestling team - but God is big and doesn't need much to work with!

Who do I wrestle for?  My husband, our kids.  My parents and family and the same for TDM's family.  Ministry opportunities, decisions within our church, people and situations that the Lord bring to mind.  And truthfully, often times I wrestle for myself - that the Lord will give me the right words when needed and even bigger - that He will keep my mouth shut when appropriate.  (I am pretty sure that TDM prays that for me regularly!)

I think the biggest thing that I am taking away from this verse is that it's okay to keep taking something back to the Lord.  It's okay to wrestle until you find a place of peace. 

Prayer and the wrestling team...that's pretty much all that I have to say about that.