Abide

/ abide /: to bear patiently, to endure without yielding, to accept without objection.

This word is a tough one for me. It’s human nature for us to easily forget God when things are going so well in life. On the other hand, when life gets difficult and nothing quite seems to go our way, we become frustrated with God and question if He’s really on our side. But the Lord patiently waits, abiding in us even while we are distracted by the things of this world.

Lately I’ve been wrestling with this word. To abide in the Lord seems like something that should come naturally, but in reality, it is a lot harder than it sounds. As I’m entering a new season in my life, God has really begun to open my eyes to what a life led by faith and trust looks like. In all honesty, I have had many moments where I’ve wondered what I am supposed to do with my future. It looms in front of me, an open book with pages upon pages ready to be filled, but I too often lack the faith to trust God and His promises for my future. While all of this often overwhelms me, the one thing that keeps me grounded is knowing that even as seasons change, God remains. Constant, steady, and reliable. He continues to abide in me, even when I doubt or lose sight of what is important. His love for me endures without yielding and His promises hold true.

John 15 is a perfect example of how we are called to abide in the Lord. Apart from God, I can do nothing. I am human and when left to my own devices, I will make mistake after mistake. But God promises that as long as I choose Him and continue to accept Him without objection, He will abide in me and through Him I will bear much fruit. He brings purpose to my wandering and He has laid a path before me, all He wants is for me to abide in Him and trust His timing.