Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I hope you take a moment today to think about the Holy Cross and what it means for us.

What stood out to me in the readings today was patience, grasping, emptying ourselves, and trusting God.

In the first reading, “with their patience worn out by the journey,” the people began to complain against God. That line hit me. They were still on the journey, but their patience with the journey was wearing out.

Then Paul tells us that Jesus “did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself.” That word grasped really stood out to me. Jesus emptied Himself. I tend to grasp. I want to figure things out, make things happen, and sometimes make them happen at the pace I think they should.

And in the Gospel, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”

All of that had me looking at myself this morning. Where is my patience wearing out? Where am I grasping instead of emptying myself and trusting God?

I realized I do this even with God. I trust Him with prayer, Scripture, theology and ministry, but when it comes to work and leadership, I tend to take it back. I basically caught myself telling God this morning, “I don’t come to You for advice at work because I don’t think You have business sense.” I know that isn’t true, but sometimes that is how I live.

I put God in a category.

So my prayer this morning became one of emptying my hands. Empty of my plans, my control, my fear, my impatience, and even my own business acumen. I don’t want to put God in a category anymore. I want to discern, know, and do His will in all of it.

Lord, give me the grace to empty my hands and stop grasping. When my patience is worn out by the journey, help me trust You. Give me prudence, humility, and the grace to invite You into every part of my life. Teach me to work with You and not merely for You. Amen.

I pray you get the graces you need today.

Keep up the good fight.

I’m praying for you. Please pray for me.

Scripture: Numbers 21:4b-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17