Abiding: Growth

Growth.

Hopefully after 31 days of reading/studying about abiding I can see growth. 

"I do not seek, O Lord, to penetrate Thy depths. I by no means think my intellect equal to them: but I long to understand in some degree Thy truth, which my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand that I may believer; but I believe that I may understand." - Saint Anselm

"Once the joy of intimacy with God has been experienced, life becomes unbearable without it." - J. Oswald Sanders

 

This last quote from Sanders does truly sum up my feelings.  I have tasted the life that abides in Christ.  It is good.  It truly is unbearable when I try to "do life" on my own.  I pray that I can continue this journey of intimacy. 

Practical Growth:

1. I see my heart is drawn in longing to know God.  I long to read about Him.  I long to pray to Him.  This also means that during my busy, hectic day, when feeling overwelmed, I remember the simple truths:

I am loved.

I am accepted.

I am held.

2. Nothing I face - nothing I do - will seperate me from my abiding.  The abiding is Christ's work.  I need only rest. 

3. I have stopped hurrying.  I do not get anxious about my to-do lists.  Sometimes (get ready for a shocker) I do not even make one for the day! *gasp* This is all me abiding.

 4. I keep messing up.  I still get mad at my kids.  I still huff and puff and have a bad attitude.  I still forget to read my Bible, pray, or even acknowledge God sometimes.  Goodness knows I am still a woman - hormonal!  But my heart has changed - even just a little.  I am at peace knowing that God holds me. I am at rest, knowing that this abiding is not a "stiving" but a "letting go." And there is grace for all of those other times I fail (and will fail again.) 

5. There is hope.  I can be hopeful that I will not always worry about what I worry about now.  I will learn to trust.  I can be hopeful that I will not get mad about what I get mad about during this season in my life.  I will learn to let things go.  There is hope that I will not be failing God so much.  I can have the power to say "NO!" to sin.

 

Keep growing, Christian.  And if you were blessed by any of my posts, let me know!  I want to know that you too are growing!

 

Since the Christmas Season is upon us, my next series will probably be on Christmas.