Have you struggled with the concept of surrendering to Jesus? There is a part of me that always wants to keep control. To make decisions on my own. To make my own plans. But I realize that doesn’t work.
As Believers, we are part of God’s family. We have the Godhead living inside ourselves. Trying to live on our own terms and experience the abiding life doesn’t work – it creates more turmoil!
It’s having two masters and two minds, as this verse describes:
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8
What works is to live a single focused life. We were made for it!
Jesus explains this in detail in John 15 using the imagery of a vine. As branches we connect to the vine (Jesus) where we receive everything we need to exist, grow and produce fruit.
That’s it. It sounds like the Simple Life right there, doesn’t it?
I am all for the simple. Simple Prayer. Simple Faith. Simple Worship.
One little set of words in John 15 plagued my thoughts this week….
Apart from Me (Jesus) you can do nothing. John 15:5
Take time this week to think about that. Is that a description of your life? We can do nothing worthwhile without staying connected with the vine – Jesus.
- Apart from Jesus, I can not write.
- Apart from Jesus, I can not parent well.
- Apart from Jesus, I can’t lose weight.
- Apart from Jesus, I can’t work.
- Apart from Jesus, I can’t fully enjoy anything.
- Apart from Jesus, I can’t…. enter any daily activity or goal.
Pastor John Piper gives a great description of what it means to abide in Christ. He says that this abiding, this set of words – apart from Me you can do nothing, is not marginal…it’s vital!
So, what is the first step to experiencing an abiding life? I am all for getting down to practical steps.
I think we first have to renew our minds away from having our own agendas and plans. Here are five ways to help you get started:
- Read John 15. Soak it in. Listen to messages on it. Allow your mind to be renewed with surrender thinking.
- Wake up each morning with the thought -“today I can do nothing without being connected to Jesus”.
- List all your daily activities, then write out – “Apart from Jesus, I can’t…….”. Writing out our new thoughts is powerful in renewing our minds.
- I have two words up on my bathroom wall – LEAN IN. They remind me to live a life of leaning in to Jesus. His plans. His ways. His thoughts.
- To seek God first rather than plan first then seek Him. This takes retraining our thoughts to think of God and His ideas first.
Apart of Jesus we can’t fully enjoy anything. Incorporate him daily, and watch your life change!
I live in New Zealand with my husband and three young adult sons. I write about growing in faith, prayer and developing your potential. Check out my book: Delighting in the Names of God: 8 Weeks to a Deeper Prayer Life and download 7 Steps to Seeing God in the Midst of your Real Messy Life free!
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