Self-Emptying Prayer Exercise


Self Emptying
If I empty myself out—there is room for God, Grace and Mercy (Richard Rohr)





Philippians 2:5* Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
 6* who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
 7* but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
 8* he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross. (NRSV)

Jesus emptied Himself—it is an incarnational life of self emptying.  Jesus came to do the will of the Father.  He emptied Himself.  (Surrendered the independent use of His Divine attributes. )
There needs to be a practice of self-emptying.  Emptying ourselves of our agenda—our ego—our desires—our pride.
What am I full of?  (If I am pricked by a pin—what comes out?)


What do I need to empty-myself of?  (Or Better—what do I pray that the Spirit would empty me of?)


Lord I am too full of me.
I am full of pride.
I am full of my ego.
I am full of desires that hinder You in my life.

Lord, You are not willing to share my heart
Lord, You need all my heart.
But Lord, I cannot even empty my heart—I am not capable of doing that.
I am capable of crying out for mercy!
I am capable of asking Your Spirit to come afresh with me and clean me out—empty me.

I Lord—live in a highly consumeristic world.
I keep hearing I need more…
I need more money, food, clothe, friends, possessions, positions, power, sex,—just more and more.
I keep hearing I cannot survive with less—much less nothing.
Lord that message feeds my hunger.
Lord that message feeds my lust.

Help me Lord, walk the road of emptying—for it is only in emptying myself that I can really be full.
It is the paradox of the Christian spiritual life.
If I am empty—then I am full.
Because only in emptying—-can I receive fullness.

Lord I want more
Not more —according to the world
More—of You.
That comes through emptying.

Lord, I choose to be empty
I choose to pour myself out in your presence…
All anxiety, power, love, desire, depression, pain, misunderstanding, and ego…
I choose self-emptying—-because I want YOU!


15 Feb. 2016 © Peter W Cusick

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