Abide | Part 3 of 8
Abide: Learning to Live in Christ | Part 3 of 8
About this series
For years, I’ve read phrases like “abide in Me,” “remain in Christ,” and “in Him.” I believed them, but if I’m honest, I wasn’t always sure what they looked like on an ordinary Tuesday. This series isn’t written by someone who’s mastered abiding. It’s written by a fellow traveler who has become convinced that Jesus offers something deeper than simply trying harder. Together, let’s open God’s Word and discover what it really means to live in Christ.
Scripture: Galatians 2:20
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had days where you ended your quiet time thinking, “I need to do better today.” Read a little more. Be a little more patient. Lose your temper a little less. Pray a little longer.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to grow. In fact, spiritual growth is part of following Jesus. But I’ve started asking myself a different question:
What if my focus has been in the wrong place?
One verse has been challenging me lately more than almost any other:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me…”
Galatians 2:20
I’ve read that verse many times, but I’m not sure I’ve slowed down enough to let it sink in.
Paul doesn’t say, “I’m trying really hard to live like Christ.” He says, “Christ lives in me.” That’s a profound difference.
So much of my Christian life has been spent asking, “How can I be more like Jesus?” While that’s certainly a worthy desire, I’m beginning to wonder if Scripture points us to something even deeper. What if the goal isn’t simply to imitate Jesus, but to live in such close dependence on Him that His life is increasingly expressed through ours?
That changes the conversation.
- Instead of relying on my own patience, I ask Christ to produce His patience in me.
- Instead of forcing myself to love difficult people, I ask Him to love them through me.
- Instead of trying to manufacture peace, I remember that the Prince of Peace lives within me.
Does that happen automatically? No. Every day still requires surrender. Every day I have to choose whether I’ll rely on my own strength or trust the One who has already made His home in me.
Maybe that’s what abiding really begins to look like—not trying harder to become someone I’m not, but surrendering more fully to the One who already lives within me.
I’m realizing those are two very different ways to live.
Sit With This
As you think about today, where are you relying mostly on your own strength? What might change if you intentionally invited Christ to live through you in that situation?
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for making Your home in me. Forgive me for the times I rely on my own strength instead of Yours. Teach me what it means to surrender each part of my day to You, trusting that You are able to do through me what I could never accomplish on my own. Amen.
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