And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:34 ESV
Lord, we need your grace to bear this Cross that you have placed before us. You call us to take up the Cross, but so often we walk the other way. So many other things seem more pressing, more appealing. We are not good with self-denial. Give us grace to see every situation as an opportunity for you to manifest your life in us. Open our ears to hear your voice saying to us, “This is the way, walk in it.†Take away the sinful attitudes and desires that cause us to choose short-term pleasure over the abundant life that you offer us in Christ. We cannot carry the Cross in our own power, we need you to live your life through us.
~~Nicholas Beckham