For the past several weeks, in my spirit, I’ve been hearing, ‘My children must go deeper in prayer.’  

Spiritual health can largely be determined by the kinds of prayers that are prayed.  Requests can be comprised of ‘fix-it’ prayers.  What about deeper, more important things?  God wants to do beautiful things in my distress, but my focus is all too often on alleviating all suffering instead of sharing in the sufferings of Jesus.  Here are some examples.

If I’m sick, I usually ask God to make me well.  God says, ‘Go deeper.’  The Holy Spirit would ask me if I’m angry that I am sick or am cross with people because they fail to empathize in the ways that I need.  I should pray to learn God’s rhythm of grace in my illness.  This matters more than my healing.  

If I am being mistreated, I usually ask God to make my enemy nicer.  God says, ‘Go deeper.’  The Holy Spirit would ask me to pray for, and love, my enemy.  I should pray to learn the ways of the cross-centered life. This matters more than another’s respect.

If I am feeling shame from painful events, I ask God to take away the pain.  God says, ‘Go deeper.’  The Holy Spirit would ask me how shame has shaped my identity. I should pray to discover the ways Jesus suffered shame and, also, how He bore my shame. This matters more than erasing the past from my mind.  

Nobody likes pain.  We weren’t created for it.  But it is a great teacher.  We won’t be spared from sharing in Jesus’ suffering.  He asked us to take up our cross to follow Him.  Jesus wants to do more than fix what is broken.  He wants to be one with us in suffering. For that, we will have to look behind the things that are wrong to see the opportunities for deeper discipleship.

Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah 48:10