Bible Passage: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4 NIV)
Scripture Reading: Psalm 127:1-2; Isaiah 30:15; Hebrews 4:9-11
“Striving” feels productive, but it often masks unbelief. “Abiding” feels passive, but it is actually an act of deep faith.
Walking in the Spirit requires learning the difference.
That’s hard for men because we are doers. We are fixers. We want to understand the problem so we can begin devising a plan of attack to address it.
But this is not Spirit-led living.
The Spirit does not hurry the soul. He draws it into dependence. Much spiritual exhaustion comes from trying to produce fruit rather than remaining connected to the Source.
God can accomplish more in you with an hour of earnest prayer, surrender, and trust than with days of your striving. Jesus never told His disciples to strain harder. He told them to remain. He told them to wait.
Abiding means trusting that God works before you do, He works beyond what you can do, and He works better than you will do. It means resisting the impulse to measure spirituality by intensity. The Spirit grows fruit organically, quietly—and often slowly.
Have you ever helped a crop grow by staring at it intensely?
This doesn’t mean laziness. I’m saying we need to learn that slowing down to wait on God trains relational obedience. Abiding Christians pray, read Scripture, repent, and obey, but they do so from a place of rest, not panic.
Brothers, please hear me: the fruit of the Spirit is not a muscle; you cannot make it grow faster by training it with reps and pressure.
It’s fruit. It naturally grows on its own, so long as it’s in good soil and gets watered regularly. South African pastor and teacher Andrew Murray said, “The secret of failure is our readiness to do God’s work in our own strength and not in the strength which He gives.” Abiding Christians learn to stop when God says, “Stop.” They learn to wait when God says, “Wait.”
Walking in the Spirit is not frantic motion but faithful presence. It is staying near Christ long enough for His life to shape yours.
Prayer: Father, teach me to remain. Free me from restless striving and form in me a quiet trust in Your work. Amen.
Reflection: Where has “striving” replaced “abiding” in your spiritual life? What might need to change?
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