Crucified with Christ

Galatians 2:20
International Standard Version (©2008)
I no longer live, but the Messiah lives in me, and the life that I am now living in this body I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God's Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins.

King James Bible
I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

American King James Version
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

American Standard Version
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

No one can be united with Christ until he is willing. To be crucified with Christ takes more than just asking for forgiveness, it takes giving up your old life, your old way of looking at things and seeing, feeling, hearing with the eyes of Christ. Does this hurt? Yes. Maybe part of it is like growing pains. When we begin to see ourselves in our sinful nature and see what Jesus Christ did for us... taking on all our sin, we realize what a sacrifice it was and how painful it was not only for Jesus, but for God too.

Thinking about being crucified with Christ brings me back to thinking about submission and how the crucifiction was the ultimate submission act. God submitted to us, Jesus submitted to us and now we can make the choice to submit to Him. Submission is an act of love not a duty or a chore.