abiding

So the other 16 interns and leaders left this morning to check out the tour de France. I however am stuck at the training center not feeling well. Today actually makes a week of feeling "bleh."

As my dear friends headed out they asked if they could do anything. I said, "Yeah, pray I learn what I need to learn so I can be done with this junk!"

One young woman's response- "Maybe you just need to rest and wait on God."

She was right. I have spent all morning in the bed and in the bathroom and during this very long morning I have been made aware of how much time I spend striving.

Striving just sounds like an exhausting word. We can strive in so many ways and I feel like lately I've been striving in every way! Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physcially I've been striving toward the next best adventure, idea, level, and (okay maybe physically I haven't been striving for much more than feeling well!

Nevertheless, its tiring to strive and I venture to say, spiritually, its not all that healthy...in the ways I've been striving.

For a few weeks I feel like God's been trying to teach me to abide in Christ. Everywhere I turn the lesson is there. I've been asking people, searching scripture, observing others and I just can't figure it out!!! Why is it so difficult for me???

And then this morning I was reading The True Vine by A. Murray and read this...

"How much weary labor is involved in striving to understand what abiding is! How much fruitless effort goes along with trying to attain it! Why is this? Because the attention is turned to the abiding as a work we have to do, instead of the living Christ, in whom we have to abide. He is Himself to hold and keep us. We think of abiding as a continual strain and effort--we forget that it meas rest from effort to one who has found the place of his abode."

HELLO!!!

I think this morning is evidence alone that all I need to do is rest in Christ and He will do the work. I've been this sick twice in the last week and both times have turned out to be a huge blessing.

In My Utmost for his Highest by Chambers I read, "...there is no circumstance of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus."

I believe that to be true. My heart's desire is to abide in every circumstance.

It may be cheesy but I like the picture that the following gives of losing myself as I abide in Christ...

abIde
ABIDE
ABiDE
ABDE
abde

Or

When it comes to Jesus it can only be one of two ways...

chrIst
CHRiST

He is greater and I am less OR I am greater and He is less. I vote for the former. :)

Akpe Yesu! Mawu lolo nutc! :)

Pretty sure I'm going back to bed...