What Does It Mean To Abide In Christ by Miriah Fredo
Miriah is a contributor of the Talk The Gospel Blog. As a teenager, she worked as a missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship. She now has a deep passion for real and vulnerable community between woman and works to cultivate it in her everyday life. Miriah is studying to receive her MBA. She and her husband reside in Augusta, Ga.
Introduction
There is one word in the Bible that The Holy Spirit always brings back to my mind. When I’m struggling with my need to achieve, He always whispers this one word to my heart; “Abide.” With that one word, Jesus tells me so much; He says, “Miriah, just rest, just trust me, quit striving, I love you.” There is so much love, peace, and abundant life in the whispers of the Holy Spirit, and it is available to anyone who is willing to just abide.
Now, I wish I could say that I’ve got this abiding thing all figured out. I wish I could come to you out of an abundance of success in my life, where I consistently abide with my Savior, and give you “The Top 5 Tips for Abiding.” HA! If only life and our journey with Jesus worked that way – Am I right?
But instead, what I’m learning is that real community begins with vulnerability. Perhaps I am more equipped for talking to you about abiding in Christ, because it is my lifelong struggle. My tendency to walk in my own strength and to work for God’s love, instead of simply resting in Him, is my habitual sin, but also the reason that I can share my heart on this today; because, I get it.
So, as you read this blog, don’t think I have it all figured out, because I don’t. Don’t assume that I have it all together, because I struggle every. Single. Day. My natural tendency is to be a “Martha,” but I welcome you to join me in my heart’s desire to be a “Mary” in this crazy, mixed up world.
To Abide In Christ
There is a very clear verse that explains to us what it means to abide in Christ. I take you to my “life verses,” John 15:4-5, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
It doesn’t take much explaining, apart from these two verses, to see why we need to abide. We are all here, because we know we need Jesus, and abiding is the way we find Him. My lifelong struggle has not been the knowing what I need to do, but the knowing how – knowing what it means, and where to start. Let’s begin with a few definitions.
What Does It Mean To Abide In Christ & Why is it so Important?
When we think about what it means to abide in Christ we need to think about what the term abide means. The word abide means to remain, to be held. Oh, how my heart melts at those words, “to be held.” Just think about it: not to struggle or strive, not to work or earn, but to simply be held by my Lord and Savior, the Creator of the universe, my Abba Father.
Abiding in Christ Is Not About “Doing”
I’m learning that pleasing God isn’t about what I do. I am loved and I please Him, simply because I am His child.
Over the years of learning to abide, God has continually whispered two additional words to my heart; “delight” and “rest.” It took me a long time to realize that they are all connected and that I can’t have one without the other. Psalms 37:4 says, “Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Then we see in Psalms 46: 10 that we are to cease striving, ““Cease striving and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth.” Psalms 46:10.
Delight = To be happy about, take exquisite delight
Cease Striving = to relax, let go, be quiet
Psalms 37:4 says “Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalms 46:10 says “Cease striving and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth.”
Mary & Martha: A Picture of What It Means to Abide in Christ
In Luke 10:38-42 we read of two women. The first, Martha, is said to be “cumbered about with much serving.” I can just see her, hustling and bustling about her house, cooking and cleaning, preparing to receive Jesus. Were the things Martha was doing good things? Absolutely! Was she doing them because she loved Jesus? Most Likely! Yet she was “cumbered about” with them, distracted from the very One who mattered the most.
The second woman in these verses is Mary. Here is a look at her presence with Jesus: she sat at his feet, listened to every word he spoke, and delighted in His presence.
Comparison of Mary & Martha in Abiding in Christ
- Martha ran around the house serving, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus
- Martha bustled about preparing, Mary listened to every word Jesus spoke
- Martha was distracted by everything that needed to be done, Mary was abiding with Jesus, delighting in His very presence
I don’t know about you, be I want to be more like Mary, and less like Martha. I want to cease striving, rest in my Savior, take exquisite delight in His presence, and truly abide in Him.
When we do this, there are so many promises that are fulfilled in our lives. God is exalted, He molds the desires of our hearts to the desires of His heart and brings them to fruition, and we are filled with an abundance of joy.
“You will show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy.” Psalms 16:11
Why would we ever want anything else?
Leave a comment with ways that you are releasing your desires for Christ desires and in return finding your true desire.
