Lord, in reflection of Your suffering, forgive me for taking lightly that which I should not and thereby lowering my appreciation for the pain you endured. Forgive my base notion of fun for corrputing the seriousness of Your humiliation and sacrifice.
You did it for joy. Instead of rejoicing with you, I still heap insult upon You by brushing it aside and so rob my soul of the sweetest drops of living water. You have called us to join You in suffering, to complete what is lacking in our faith. But the attitude of my heart hinders me from fully joining, for how can I participate in that which I have no discernment of? Yes, there is bitterness in this world, physically, mentally and emotionally. Humiliation is not just that it is inevitable as a Christian living in a depraved world but part of being joined into Your body, a holy privilege to be embraced.
Teach my heart to rejoice in hostility. Keep my heart from anger and pride of self that demands for its own sake. Let me not grow fainthearted. Keep me from shrinking back. Meet me in the Garden as the Father met You. Thank You for Your Spririt which has endured before me; may I always seek the depths of Your comfort and wisdom. Keep my heart sober upon the sacred. Use any suffering that You will to present to me a means of bringing more of Your sons to Your glory.
Teach me to count everything a loss compared to the surpassing worth of know Jesus Christ our Lord, And by this become like Him in His death, so that when I draw my final breath, the resurrection from the dead will be mine at last! Amen!
Philippians 3
