That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. – Philippians 3:10-11 (KJV)
For many years, this Scripture was my daily prayer. But there came a season when I stopped praying it. Life had grown so dark that, quite honestly, I didn’t want to experience any more “death.” I still longed for resurrection power—just without the struggle that seemed to precede it.
In His mercy, God allowed me a period without intense difficulty. Yet something felt off. On the outside, I appeared spiritually strong, but inwardly I sensed I wasn’t developing the endurance and spiritual maturity I truly needed. Muscles only grow through resistance, and faith is no different.
So I returned to Paul’s prayer: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…” (Philippians 3:10–11).
Why would anyone willingly pray such a prayer? Because I was reminded that without death, there can be no resurrection. I longed once again to experience victory over my circumstances through the power of God. But that power is most clearly revealed in our weakness. As Scripture tells us in Second Epistle to the Corinthians 12:9, His strength is made perfect in weakness.
As we journey toward resurrection, may we not resist the process. Let us embrace even the pain and suffering that come with the cross, trusting that God uses every hardship to shape us more into His image. For in Christ, what feels like an ending is often the beginning of something far greater.
Rising with the Son 