June 20, 2024 - 1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭15

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:14-15 ESV

Lord, none of us would want to choose to suffer given the option, but if standing for you means we must suffer, help us choose to suffer. We never want to hide our faith and slack on living righteously because of what someone will think about us or do to us. Holy Spirit, help us have the strength and courage to make the right choices to stand with you regardless of what it might cost us. Help us overcome fear and honor Christ in our actions. Show us any place in our life where we are compromising in an effort to not face shame, or worse, for following you. Show us how to change this behavior.

Holy Spirit, we also ask for you to prepare us to always be ready to give a defense for why we follow you. I look at how you led Jesus when he had to defend his actions. You would give him just the right stories or words to say to silence those trying to shut him down. Help us be tuned into you like this. Give us the right things to say in any situation where we need to defend our actions or explain our faith in you. Help us do this not in a way that pushes people further from you, but in a loving way that draws them closer to you. In a way that makes them thirst to know more.

In Jesus name, amen.