Cross
“Christ Carrying the Cross” by Giovanni Tiepolo (c. 1737), Location Sant-Alvise Church, Venice, Italy, Source Web Gallery of Art http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/t/tiepolo/gianbatt/2_1730s/11alvise.html (PD-Art, PD-Age-100)
Ours is a culture geared toward self-actualization. Self-denial (except in the pursuit of physical perfection) is looked on as pathologic. We worship at the altar of the individual – a futile attempt to achieve inner peace by an emphasis on the carnal.
The Christian worldview is diametrically opposed to this. Christ invites us to suffer with Him. That is not an invitation to masochism. It is a profound response to the reality of suffering.
“ ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me’ ” (Mark 8: 34).
Lord Jesus, we turn our eyes to You when the trials and frustrations of life wear away at our resolve.
Keep us from bitterness and resentment, Lord, for in You there is hope everlasting. Teach us how to deny ourselves, yet live with joy.
Each of us has a cross to bear and a road to travel. But You, Lord, are with us, sharing our load. Carry us forward, when that load seems unbearable. Catch us when we fall, Lord, and help us to rise again, so we may follow You faithfully.
Amen
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse https://avoicereclaimed.com
A Lawyer's Prayers 
Amen! This was well said.
Many thanks.
Amen!🙏
Thank you, Joyce. ❤
Perfect Anna. Your writing the last few weeks has been very powerful.
Thank you, Wally. You can’t know how much that means to me.
Amen to that Anna! Thank you!
The world is so much with us, we can lose sight of what is really important.
Blessings,
A.
Your post prayers are always short-yet-powerful, Anna! 🙂 ♥ ❤
What a wonderful thing to say! I never feel that they are eloquent. Thankfully, the Lord does not require eloquence from us. ❤
Oh they’re eloquent enough that I tend to re-read and try to remember them! 🙂 ♥ ❤
I’ll treasure that thought. ❤
awe… love you (& your blogs), Anna 🙂 ♥ ❤
Beautifully written Anna,and as always it reaches the depths of our hearts. How I wish I had your gift of communication instead of my own stumbling attempts at it.
I am deeply grateful for the compliment, Ron. I generally consider my efforts pedestrian. I don’t think we ever see ourselves clearly. For the record, I find your writing sensitive and profoundly spiritual. I am often moved, and always inspired by it. What you call “stumbling attempts” are, in my view, the soul’s efforts to make sense of an insane world. I believe God makes allowances for our shortcomings…literary and otherwise. Good thing, because He’s got a lo-o-o-ng way yet to go with me! 🙂
I’d say He’s got a long way to go with each of us, and I’ll place myself at the head of that class. Thank you for your kindness and encouragement Anna.