Around one year ago, I posted the first post on this website. In the past year, I have walked through so much. Learning so much about myself and more importantly so much about God. It is so easy to identify some of the highs and a lot of the lows, but what makes those times? Like why do we experience highs but more importantly the lows? Times where following Christ is so easy. When it is so enjoyable to get into the Bible, and all you want is Jesus. Then there are times where it feels like real work to get into the Word. Real work to have intentional time with God and community. Really what I think it comes down to is how well we are abiding.

Let’s start over. I haven’t posted on here in months. Why now? School teaches us that when you study and think you will eventually learn. (Not an exact formula, I’m not a education major) But personally I need to learn how to better abide, so to do that I need to take a step back and study God’s word and really think and apply it to my life. And I know that I am not the only person who struggles with abiding in Christ, so I might as well share.

Why Abide?

For the last 3 or 4 months, I have been struggling. It has felt like a task to get into the Bible, to pray, to fight sin, and to be intentional with my community. It sucked. However I was aware of this struggle, and everyday I would pray something like this, “God light a fire in me for you,” then I would go along working at things listed above which I thought would please God. Then a week ago I thought to myself, why do I not feel joy. I am doing the tasks that used to bring me unlimited joy, but now I don’t feel joy. So like any logically dude, I decided youtube it. And I found this video:

How do I become happy in God?

Ahh yes the question I’ve been asking, but also the answers I needed. As I’m listening to this video, God is moving in my heart. In the video Pastor John Piper is telling the story of Hudson Taylor, a 19th century missionary. Taylor was in China for 3 years, and was experiencing weakness in joy, when one day God changed the way he views joy. When he read John 4:14, “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” And in that moment he truly understood that, will meant will, never meant never, and thirst meant thirst. In this truth he saw that our days of being thirsty for joy were over because of the gift we receive through Christ!

So tap into that gift, we don’t have to try to “hop into the arms of Jesus” because we are already in the arms of Jesus. To explain I will just use the same words from John Piper which impacted me:

“In other words, deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in Jesus is a gift and, in the end, not the result of striving. For Hudson Taylor, the heart of his discovery was that the fruit of the vine comes from abiding, not striving.” –John Piper

Joy comes from abiding not striving. So my lack of joy will never be quenched by me trying to get more joy. However only in abiding in the joy that Christ has already given!

How to Abide.

All I have to is abide! But then the thought hit me. What in the world does it mean to abide? This takes it all back to the theme of this website, John 15. I wish I could put the whole section into this post, but just read John 15:1-8 on your own. This passage is Jesus talking about how to abide in him. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit.” So first and foremost, to abide in Christ we have to be one with Christ. As it says He is the vine and we are the branches, so we need that connectedness that only comes through faith in his perfect life, death, and resurrection. John Piper says, “the essential meaning of our active abiding is the act of receiving and trusting all that God is for us in Christ.”

If step one is to have faith in Christ and trust in God, then step two is to cherish and act out his word. In John 15:7-8, Jesus says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.” I want to highlight two parts of this verse. One, my words remain in you, and the other produce much fruit.

My words remain in you.

We often take for granted the power of the Bible. The actual words of God. But all throughout it, we can see that through being in the Word we can experience so much joy. Look at Psalm 1:2 where it contrasts the receiving of joy between the unrighteous and the righteous , “Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,and he meditates on it day and night.” So much joy can come from the Bible, because it offers us a better picture of the good news that runs through the whole book. In his words we can better understand how sinful we are, but more importantly, how happy we can be that God has reconciled us sinners back to himself through Jesus. So in reading that we can remain in the promises of God, bringing us an everlasting joy!

Produce much fruit.

After we get a better picture of God’s goodness and promises, we are then called into action. God did not just promise us things, but he also called us into a mission. And just like Psalms says we can take joy in the Lord’s instruction, I believe that following in the mission is how God intends for us to be continually filled with joy. So when we walk in sancficitation, we can be filled with joy. When we love the people around us better, we can be filled with joy. And when we share the Gospel, we can be filled with joy! So when our life produces fruit, we can be filled with joy.

The Christian life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes on top of the word, and other times feeling no joy. But Jesus has given us a way to be full on joy always, and that is by fully abiding in him. So next time you’re feeling short on joy remember to you don’t have to work to feel joy, just abide. Abiding by first being deeply connected to the vine in Jesus. By dwelling in the words of Jesus, but not staying there! Instead letting those words change how you live, and find eternal joy in living out the instruction of the Lord.

If you want to learn more about what it means to live on God’s mission or how to delight in the Lord’s instruction, you can check out the posts below!

By: Aaron Hershberger