This week I shared Jesus’ teaching from John 15 –
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
Here Jesus is teaching his followers how to live. He uses the word “abide” which means, “to rest in” or “to live in” as is guiding image – we are to begin by resting in him. I hear Jesus saying, if we want to live this life to its fullest, we need to start with our connection to him.
He is right. Many people of faith start the day with a time of scripture, prayer, and connecting to God. But many struggle to find how to start the day with God in the midst of how busy mornings can be.
How can the average person abide in God? Here are some tried and true ways forward.
First – don’t worry if you don’t have much time. Even five minutes will make a huge difference. Don’t worry if you don’t do it daily. Just start where you are and build.
Second, build on something you already do. So, if you exercise in the morning, download an app for prayer or Bible study and use it. If you drink coffee and watch TV, just take 5 minutes before you turn the TV on (or even mute the commercials) and pray. I like the Read Scripture app and the Pray as You Go app but there are lots to try.
Third, know that you will try things and some won’t work. When nothing is working, my go-to practice is to sit and look out the window, pray and drink my coffee. Whatever you do, treat it as an experiment, seeing what you enjoy and look forward to. If something doesn’t work, try something else.
Abiding is the start of putting together a rhythm of life that will change every, in when you are under pressure.