How many times have you become frustrated with God, yes, that’s right, with God because He is not telling you what you should do? If you have a loved one operating outside Christ’s covering, you know the anxious desire to do something to change their situation. The question you repeatedly ask God is, what do You want me to do? What can I do?

Let’s consider the possibility He is not asking you to do anything. Perhaps there is a more significant element missing. Our (because I, too, am guilty) answer to a problem is to fix the outcome. You and I know Jesus wants to rescue everyone from destruction. I can’t change anyone, let alone myself. Nor can you change you. That is Christ’s job.

What He does want is for us to BE. Christ in us is the answer to BEING. He calls on us to BE light, to BE salt, to BE kind, and to BE love, gentle, strong, and courageous. Has He ever asked us to do light, to do gentle, or to do courageous? A ridiculous thought, right?

What is He saying? As we abide in him, He abides in us, giving us the qualities that attract others to desire something in them they don’t possess. The Holy Spirit takes our gentleness, kindness, strength, and love and does what He does best, convicts the heart with the desire to change. God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and God the Son collaborate for a change of heart in our loved ones. Our work (doing) is to abide in Him, and He will DO the rest.

My Prayer

Change ME, Father, into the kind of person exhibiting Your characteristics and qualities. Change ME into a reflector of You that all can see and want to BE.

The Promise

John 15:4-5, 7-8

. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing

⁷ “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.”

So, abiding means it’s not my works, my words, or even my thinking because the mystery of the gospel is Christ in us. We have the mind of Christ. It is all about Jesus!