Abide.

For the past month and a half almost every service I have gone to the speaker talks about abiding with the Lord.  What does abiding really look like?  I've been asking God that question a lot.  I think that abiding is about enjoying the Lord and bringing Him into the moments.  It can include seeking Him deeply and reading the bible, but its not always that.  I think that choosing to focus on abiding glorifies the Lord more than focusing on working out my flesh.  I've lived most of my life in that way.  Having a list of things that need to die in my life and taking them one at a time and conquering them.  Not really much of a way to live.  My whole life was focused on getting holy so that I can then live.  But this is a journey, this is living.  First of all I can stand on the fact that this is all finished... but what does that mean?  I know that Jesus died to cover all this junk in me and so now there is freedom to walk with the Father.  So what about all this sin that is in my life?  I think that this is only in my life because I am choosing to not be intimate with the Lord.  When intimacy comes the rest will come.  So instead of focusing on the problems, we must, quite literally seek God's face.  I always thought that that meant, turn our lives toward God, but that's not our job, to align our lives.  Our job is to seek Him and He will work in us according to His plan.

God's also been talking to me a lot about trusting Him.  I've been noticing the people around me that don't worry and they seem like they're doing alright.  I have a fear within me that if I don't keep my mind on my problems they will fall apart.  I don't trust the Lord to provide for me.  God has shown me time and again that He is faithful.  I have never been without what I have needed.  He has always given me above and beyond.  I have decided to release my worry and watch the Lord move how He wants to.  He is still providing for me, but now I am also at peace.

Song of Songs 2:10-14

"My lover said to me,

"Rise up, my darling!

Come away with me, my fair one!

Look, the winter is past,

and the rains are over and gone.

The flowers are springing up,

the season of singing birds has come,

and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.

The fig trees are forming young fruit,

and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming.

Rise up, my darling!

Come away with me, my fair one!"

My dove is hiding behind the rocks,

behind an outcrop on the cliff.

Let me see your face;

let me hear your voice.

For your voice is pleasant,

and your face is lovely.