Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (Joh 15:4)
When the Lord works in believers' lives, He uses a variety of methods. There are times that we expect Him to intervene in our circumstances through an instantaneous, miraculous event, but He often works in much more subtle ways.
For example, I recall a time when the Lord quietly and patiently chipped away at an mistaken belief I had about the Christian life. For months, I knew something was wrong with my spirit, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I prayed, fasted, and pleaded with God to reveal the source of my uneasiness.
One evening, He revealed something in the Word that I'd never applied: abiding in Christ. In prayer that night, I was overwhelmed. I knew something awesome had occurred. My view of the Christian life had changed.
I'd been to seminary and understood all types of theology but had never fully grasped the purpose of the Holy Spirit. For years, I had tried to please God through my actions, rather than by submitting to the Spirit and allowing Him to work through me.
All of the sudden, the burdens of my heart lifted away. I realized that Jesus called me, not to do ministry, but to allow Him to work in me and accomplish His ministry through me. It wasn't my external actions that brought God glory; it was my willingness to submit to Him.
So, maybe you've been waiting for God to "hit you over the head" with some divine revelation. Remember, He often works in subtle ways. Might you have overlooked areas in which God is currently moving in your life?
In Touch Daily Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley © 2007. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).
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