Abiding in Christ

Hello, my name is Josh. While I'm Waiting is my blog where I enjoy documenting my life and sharing my musings and opinions.

First of all, thank you very much to Joshua for giving me the opportunity to share on his blog. He asked me to write a post on a passage of scripture that has made the most impact on my life and why. A straight-forward, simple answer would be nearly impossible.

Over the last year, God has given me a desire for Him. I have read many verses and portions of scripture that touch me. God’s Word is living (Hebrews 4:12). There are times I read a verse and am so overcome by its relevancy to my situation, am so blessed by God’s promise, or am stricken with conviction at warnings, exhortations, and instruction.

Of the many passages in scripture that have influenced me, the verses that I have recently been meditating on are in John 15 when Jesus illustrates a Christian’s relationship with Himself.

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Jesus is the life giver and the sustainer; the vine. Christians? We are the branches that should be attached solely to Christ, drawing our strength from Him, and producing fruit for God.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of the word Abide is: To rest, or dwell.

Before I began to learn to abide in Christ, I was selfish and arrogant. My only concern was manipulating God so I could get my way. I was all talk on the outside, and though I was able to trick some into thinking I was a very “good sort of Christian”, once I let myself evaluate what lay under the surfaces of my heart, I quickly realized that I was not remotely close to the person I was pretending to be. I was a poser.

Over the past ten months as I have been learning to abide in Christ, God has completely changed my focus, given me a love for His word, radically changing my spirit, and now I have begun to see the beginnings of fruit in my life. No longer do I seek to fit God in my agenda if it works in my favor, but I have begun to experience the joy that comes from being surrendered to God’s will and being willing to do whatever He asks. Also, instead of anxiously trying to figure out how to make my vision work and being thrown into a minor cardiac arrest every time I met opposition, I have learned to rest knowing that God has a plan more infinitely wonderful than I could ever imagine. Now, my greatest joy is waiting to see what God will do with my life and what His awesome plan holds. ABIDE: to rest, or dwell.

I am the first to confess that I am not perfect, and do not say the previous sentiments to brag on myself, but to testify to the power of God in one person’s life. The joy that comes from abiding in Christ is not just wishful imaginations, or a “holy-put-on Christianity”, I am here to tell you that it is real. God desires that you to place your trust in him, resting fully, and dwelling richly in His holiness. It is possible.

I exhort you to rest and dwell in Him. May you begin to experience in your own life, the joy that comes from abiding in Christ!