Thirty-Third Day of Easter
O God,
Raise us up so we can see past our suffering.
Help us first to see whether what we think of as suffering really is. Keep us from exaggeration. Give us perspective.
Help us second to see if our suffering is self-inflicted. If it is, help us to repent of whatever brought the suffering to us. Lead us to turn away from what has brought hurt to us and to turn toward you and toward better ways.
Help us third to see how our suffering marks us as human. Remind us that some things come to us because we are human beings. Protect us from a sense of privilege that tells us that it shouldn’t happen to us.
Having seen our suffering for what it is, help us to see past it to what it can lead us to.
Help us see that it can lead us to a closer walk with Jesus as we share in his suffering.
Help us see that it can lead us to a deeper faith in you as we learn you are with us in it all.
Help us see that it can lead us to a greater sense of community as we realize that we are all in this together.
We don’t want to suffer. But we will. When we do, raise us up so we can see past it to the better people we can be on the other side of it.
Amen.
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