What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ? A Guide
You've probably tried to feel close to Jesus and come away with nothing but guilt for trying. Maybe you set an alarm for prayer and slept through it, or read a chapter of John and felt no different afterward. That doesn't mean you've failed at the Christian life. It means you're exactly where Jesus expected His followers to be when He gave them the image of the vine in the first place. Why this is genuinely hard Abiding sounds peaceful until you read the whole passage. The vine image includes a gardener with a knife (John 15:2) and a warning about branches thrown into the fire (John 15:6). That's not gentle language, and it's honest to admit it can be frightening rather than comforting on a hard night. Add to that the ordinary friction of life, a phone that won't stop buzzing, a schedule with no margin, a faith that used to feel warm and now feels like routine, and 'just abide' can sound like one more thing you're failing at. It's also worth...