I recently wrote about abiding in Christ and what it means in terms of living in Christ and being obedient to His Word, this post is, badly put, what we get out of abiding in Christ.
No, we don’t abide in Christ to ‘get’, and really I don’t think it’s possible because God knows our motivations and hearts. But there is one outcome of abiding in Christ which I want to point out.
It’s the peace of God which shadows us, comforts us, encourages us and rests in us and gives us great joy when we are truly abiding in Christ.
John 14:25, 27 says, These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. … Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
There is a peace which comes when we abide in Christ that is near impossible to describe.
Phil 4:7 says it well, And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Staying in the love of God, being obedient to His Word, which as I pointed out in an earlier post is impossible unless we know what His Word says by reading and studying it. This is abiding in Christ; this is where we experience that peace.
I stepped out of my own peace by not abiding in Christ the other day and it caused heartache both in me and the person with whom I was in conversation. It’s a deep regret. I can attest to the fact that every time I step out of being obedient to His Word, step out of being in, abiding in, being obedient to Christ, it creates havoc, thus no peace.
We think peace is when everything is going well in our lives, but when circumstances throw a wrench in it, peace flits away like a butterfly. That is not the peace of Christ, the deep peace that carries you through whatever circumstance you find yourself in. It’s a deep peace that leads to joy, again, in whatever circumstance comes, if you stay abiding in Christ.
Read about Paul’s life in Romans, or any of his other letters. He talks about peace a lot, he talks about whatever circumstance he finds himself in, he has learned to be content. He knows that peace of Christ for he’s learned to abide, stay in, never leave his position in Christ.
It is my prayer that as you read God’s Word, it will cause you to abide more deeply in the love and peace of Christ, in such a way you never want to leave. But should you step out, it’s my prayer you will earnestly desire to go back and you will want to stay, never depart, and will desire to continue being present in, to be held, kept continually, in the love of God.
Baruch Adonai
Brenda
Ordinary Me; Extraordinary God 