What Does It Mean to “Abide in Christ”?

Part 1 in the “What Does It Mean?” devotional study

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

The words of Jesus make it clear: we can do nothing unless we abide in him. But, what does it mean to abide in Christ?

The Oxford Dictionary lists these synonyms of the word abide: observe, obey, follow, hold, pay attention to, stick to, and stand by.

To abide in Christ means to trust him always, to love him always, and to obey him always. Tall order! But, Jesus explains in John 15:6 what happens when we don’t abide in him: “If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.”

Of course, we all fall short of the glory of God and will slip up, but we should strive to abide in Christ daily.

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A great test to see if you are abiding in Christ is to notice your reaction in an emergency or when given devastating news. This is not an absolute science and there is no right or wrong answer here, but this is a good scale by which to measure how close you are to God.

Do you immediately cry out to God in a crisis situation, or does the thought of God not come to you till hours later? If your first thought is “God is in control”, you are probably abiding in Christ rather well.

For the most part, how often you think about God during the day is directly proportional to how much time you devote to spending with him.

If all the “God” you get in a week is the Sunday morning worship service, he is probably not going to be at the front of your mind. Because of this, you will probably become more easily anxious, sad, or worried. You will be more prone to try to control situations and outcomes. You may even become more prone to anger or depression.

So, what practical steps can you take to abide in Christ?

Step 1: Pray early and pray often

Pray as soon as you wake up in the morning before you even get out of bed. Thank God for a new day. Thank him that his mercies are new every day. Pray that you would have wisdom and discernment to hear his voice to be able to follow him that day.

Pray in the shower. Pray before meals. Pray for random people you see throughout the day… even strangers.

Make a daily prayer list. On Mondays pray for your church family and church leaders. On Tuesday pray for extended family. And so forth.

Pray with your children.

Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to pray.

Make prayer the last thing you do before falling asleep.

Remember to cover all aspects of a healthy prayer life, as Jesus demonstrates in the Lord’s Prayer. Make sure to praise God for who he is, thank him for his blessings, confess your sin, and present your requests.

It is sometimes all too easy to skip straight to the “present requests” part of the prayer and miss the praise, thanks, and confession. Be conscious of that and make sure your prayers are a good mix of all of the above.

Step 2: Read the Bible every day

Make reading the Word a priority every day. You can just pick a book of the Bible and focus on that for a month or so. You can use devotionals or Bible reading plans. Or you can follow a Bible study book.

If you choose to pick a book of the Bible to read, I highly recommend journaling about what you have read. If you are anything like me, you can read with one side of your brain while the other side is fully engaged in something completely unrelated (like compiling a grocery list, or replaying a conversation you had four days ago).

By adding journaling, your mind stays more focused on the Word.

Because of Bible apps, it is now easier and more convenient than ever to get in the Word! You can read the Bible on your phone while waiting at the doctor’s office, or in line at the DMV, or the carpool line at school.

Think of reading the Bible as steeping yourself in the Word of God… much like a tea bag in hot water needs to steep to become fully blended together. The same holds true for you and God. You must be steeped in him in order to abide in him more fully.

Step 3: Be still and know that he is God

Take time after reading your Bible to be still and focus on who God is. Or take a few times during the day (5 minutes here or there) to just stop and think about God.

Notice the Bible doesn’t say “be still and think about all the things God can do for you”. It simply tells us to know that he is God.

For me, this means thinking about God’s attributes… his love, his glory, his omnipotence, his faithfulness, and so much more. Try to take yourself out of the equation entirely. Just focus on God.

Ponder the fact that God knows every single square inch of the universe, for he created it. Think about how he sees all of human history – past, present, and future – with just a glance of his eye. Look at nature and be amazed at his ability to create.

Be still and know God and be amazed at his awesomeness.

Step 4: Join a group Bible study or church small group

Find a way (or two) to meet with other believers in a small group setting weekly. Together you can ponder who God is, study his word, and hold each other accountable.

Hearing how God has spoken to others through his Word, or hearing how others have experienced God in their everyday lives, is encouraging and, sometimes, even thought-provoking.

Sharing how God is working in your own life, likewise, will encourage others.

A small group setting of believers is a great way to share life and community with others. Pray together, bear one another’s burdens, help others and allow others to help you.

Final thoughts

The more time you consciously devote to him, the more easily you will rest in him when a storm hits because you will already be abiding in him.

Read more in the “What Does It Mean?” series:

What Does Jesus Mean When He Says “Deny Yourself”?

What Does It Mean to “Be Still and Know That I Am God”?

What Does Jesus Mean When He Says “My Yoke Is Easy and My Burden Is Light”?