Weekly Prayer Guide: Denying Oneself

I’ve decided to start putting the weekly prayer guide that I write on my blog. This one is a bit late for this week, but I figured I’d post it anyway, and after this will post them at the beginning of the week, for those who like to use them in their prayers each day.

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38

Monday:
Jesus calls us to deny ourselves so that he, rather than our own self
or desires, is at the center of our life. Beyond denying ourselves some
pleasure, this means yielding control of our life. Let’s meditate on this
today.

Tuesday:
Taking up our cross means following Jesus no matter what suffering or
death that might involve. Are we doing that every day?

Wednesday:
In what ways are we tempted to try to save some aspect of our life at
the expense of living fully for Christ and the gospel? Let’s ask Jesus to
strengthen us to live more fully for him.

Thursday:
Ponder the value of eternal life in Christ as compared to what the
world has to offer. Ask God to increase your longing for him.

Friday: There is no way we could have bought or earned eternal life. Thank God for the incomparable gift of life for your soul.

Saturday: Pray for sufficient faith and courage to stand firm when you’re tempted to deny Christ in any way.