Abide

A New Year brings the promise of a clean slate, new beginnings, new goals and an invitation to do things different .... perhaps better.

I spoke with my 8th grade girls' small group yesterday about Resolve.  What it actually takes to stick with the goals we set and the convictions we have.  An 8th grade girls' goals look a bit different than my own.  For instance, I'm not so concerned with homework (although I do have to be disciplined in preparing lessons) and the subject of boys? Well, I have mine :)  I guess I could turn that into my marriage and being a better wife, and honestly, I can always do better in that department.

But, as I was teaching, I noticed something similar no matter what age we are.  Apart from Christ, we can do nothing and left to our own devices, we won't choose anything of value.  We'll continue to do what we've always done and stay complacent, missing the Sanctification the Lord so desires to work in us.

I'm not really one to make resolutions, though I am ever-evaluating what's working and what's not when it comes to my relationship with the Lord.

At the beginning of 2011, I chose a word to focus on during the entire year in terms of my relationship with the Lord.  That word was Listen. 

I needed to hear from the Lord on several different issues and I realized I was doing all the talking and not being still enough to really listen and discern what He wanted.  That one word changed my daily quiet time in 2011.  I studied differently.  I talked less.  I waited a little more patiently on His voice. 

And I made some mistakes.  A lot, actually.

I would glean so much from God by opening His Word and diligently looking for His confirmation in all things around me .... music, sermons, conversations, articles.  I loved the process.

Yet, I still found myself going through weeks where I was so busy (doing good things) that I wasn't taking the time to hear from the Lord.  I would make important life decisions without waiting on that confirmation I had once relied on.  That's an open invitation for outside influences to shape our decisions and desires and has left me in a mess more than I care to recall.

So, when 2012 rolled around and I began to ask God what one word He wanted me to focus on in the upcoming year, I heard quickly "ABIDE".

Abide:  to wait for; to endure without yielding;

to remain stable or fixed in a state;

to continue in a place; to conform to.

And He confirmed it in His Word ...

"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.

If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered;

and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,

and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit;

so you will be My disciples."

John 15:4-8

So, that will be my focus for 2012.  Abide.

Abiding in Him .... because apart from Him, I can do nothing.

I'm going to have a weekly series, posted on Wednesdays, about the lessons God is teaching me as I learn to Abide in Him.  Next Wednesday, I'll post about my quiet time and how I study.  This seems to be the #1 question I get asked and though I certainly don't have all the answers, I'll share what works for me.  I love to hear from other women in terms of what works for them.  We can all learn from each other.

Another topic God is speaking specifically to my heart about right now is fear.  Now that may be a month long series - ha! Simply put, I found myself saying out loud "Fear is my biggest issue!" and it hit me how powerful my words are and how they were causing my heart to stay in that bondage.  I'm working through that now with the Lord and once I spend more time letting that resonate with myself, I'll share more with you.

Until then ...