Abiding

When I hear the word "abide" I'm immediately taken back to the old Sunday School song, "His Banner Over Me is Love."  One of the verses says, "He is the vine and we are the branches." As an adult those words take on a much deeper meaning!

I recently had a rare opportunity to attend a ladies retreat with a very special group of christian sisters!  It's not often I get to experience a retreat, since my ministry is mainly about hosting those kinds of retreats for others.  The theme of the weekend was "Abide".  Admittedly, at first, I didn't really think there was much I needed to learn in that area.  But OH! Doesn't God have a way of letting you know differently?!? 

I've always thought I was good at abiding in the Lord, because after all, I wait for Him, I rest in Him, I look to Him for guidance, so what more is there right?  Well, come to find out, it's not always about the doing, it's about the being - it's about HOW we abide!  So, I wait on the Lord - but do I wait patiently? I rest in Him - but do I rest peacefully even in times of trouble or discomfort? I look to Him for guidance - but do I look to Him in ALL things?  The honest answer to these questions for most of us is probably no. 

So how do we actually abide and abide well? This is what God showed me.  I need to walk with Him daily and spend time sitting with Him - sometimes in the quiet with my thoughts and being open to listen to what God has to say.  Sometimes, it's sitting and just worshiping through music - don't ignore the power of music - God speaks through it!  Sometimes its sitting and writing whatever is on my heart. Many times it's recognizing His presence and goodness through the beauty of nature.  There are even times when it's just having a simple conversation with God when I'm driving or doing the dishes! Trust me when I say - those conversations aren't always happy ones! You can vent and yell and tell God exactly how you feel - just be ready to listen when He is ready to point you to truth! :-)  The point being - have daily interaction, conversation and just being with the ONE who is present and who loves you more than you can imagine! When you are open and listening He will speak in ways you never new possible!

 My retreat sisters and I like to call this time of abiding the "no matter what" movement in our life!  We can rest or abide and have faith and trust everything with our Lord Jesus, NO MATTER WHAT! The reason we can do this is because God is a NO MATTER WHAT kind of God! That is how He loves us and takes care of us - ALL the time! 

I know this doesn't even touch the surface of how much meaning there is in this subject, but as I said before, God had plans for me that weekend and he used this foundation to show me His plan!  During this weekend God showed me just what kind of God He was!  He showed me how in different periods of my life, the good and the bad, He was always there, right by my side walking with me through it all.  He never left and never will! 

Being a "no matter what" follower of Christ isn't easy and certainly doesn't come naturally to most of us.  It's not easy to have the joy in everything that James 1 speaks of - "joy in trials and tribulations." but as it also says in James 1 - these are the things that "produce perseverance in our faith."  Remember, God isn't asking anything of us that He Himself hasn't experienced.  He is just asking us to have faith and trust that no matter what - HE WILL be with us, HE WILL sustain us and HE WILL love us through it all! 

Praying you find peace in abiding with Him, Praising God for the fruit that you will bear and Pondering His goodness in all things!