How to Abide in Christ When Life Feels Too Busy to Slow Down

[00:00:38] Hello, and welcome back. [00:00:39] In our last few episodes, we’ve covered identity, who we are in Christ, acceptance, resting in the love God has already given us. [00:00:48] And I shared my own story of how God led me through seasons of surrender and calling. [00:00:53] Today, we’re going to talk about something that naturally flows from those truths. [00:00:59] We’re going to talk about abiding. [00:01:01] Because once we begin to understand who we are and once we begin to rest in God’s acceptance, the next question becomes, how do we actually live from that place? [00:01:13] And the answer is so simple. [00:01:16] Jesus tells us to abide.

What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ?

[00:01:18] In John 15:4, Jesus says, Remain in me as I also remain in you. [00:01:25] No branch can bear fruit by itself. [00:01:28] It must remain in the vine. [00:01:31] The word remain or abide means to stay connected, to dwell, to continue in a relationship. [00:01:39] It’s not about striving. [00:01:41] It’s about remaining, remaining connected to Christ. [00:01:46] And shared in previous episodes that many women I walk with carry a quiet pressure, and I’m no exception. [00:01:54] They feel like they should be doing more, praying more, serving more, learning more, trying harder.

Abiding Is Not About Doing More

[00:02:02] But abiding is not about doing more. [00:02:06] Abiding is about being with God. [00:02:11] Abiding is remaining in him. [00:02:15] It’s the difference between a life of spiritual performance and a life of spiritual intimacy with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. [00:02:24] Jesus didn’t say, Robin, work harder, strive more. [00:02:28] Let’s get going. [00:02:29] You need to produce more fruit. [00:02:32] He said, remain in me.

The Vine and Branches: Staying Connected

[00:02:35] The image Jesus gives us in John 15, verse 4 is simple but powerful. [00:02:40] He is the vine and we are the branches. [00:02:43] A branch does not struggle to produce fruit. [00:02:47] It simply stays connected to the vine. [00:02:50] Everything it needs, life, nourishment, growth flows from that connection. [00:02:56] And the same is true in our spiritual lives. [00:03:00] Growth flows from connection. [00:03:03] Transformation flows from our relationship with Christ.

The Challenge of Busyness

[00:03:09] And one of the greatest challenges to abiding is busyness. [00:03:14] Busyness that pulls us away from the connection. [00:03:18] Let’s be honest. [00:03:19] Life is full. [00:03:21] We have responsibilities, families, work, ministry, commitments. [00:03:25] And for so many years, that was my world. [00:03:28] I spent countless hours serving in private school admissions, meeting families, guiding students, traveling for recruitment, attending events, serving on committees, and carrying the weight of inspection. [00:03:43] I spent countless hours serving in private school admissions, meeting families, guiding students, traveling for recruitment, attending events, serving on committees, and carrying the weight of expectations that never seemed to pause.

When Good Things Crowd Out God

[00:03:58] I was pouring myself out in every direction, trying to be excellent at work while still being present at home, still showing up for ministry, still tending to the needs of everyone around me. [00:04:12] But somewhere in the midst of all that movement, something subtle began to happen. [00:04:18] Even good things, beautiful things, meaningful things, started to quietly crowd out space with God. [00:04:25] My days were full of activity but shallow in presence. [00:04:29] I was doing things for God, but I was no longer resting in Him. [00:04:35] I knew how to serve. [00:04:36] I knew how to show up. [00:04:38] I knew how to keep going even when I was exhausted.

The Consequence of Misaligned Priorities

[00:04:42] But abiding, slowing down long enough to rest in his presence, letting him speak into the places I kept pushing aside or burying, slowing down to stay connected, became harder and harder to do. [00:04:57] I was too busy. [00:04:59] My priorities were misaligned with my values. [00:05:03] And this misalignment showed up in every area of my life. [00:05:08] And maybe you felt that too. [00:05:10] Maybe your life is full of good things. [00:05:12] Your family, your work, your ministry, your commitments, your relationships. [00:05:18] And yet your soul feels stretched thin.

Longing for Stillness and God’s Nearness

[00:05:21] Maybe you’re moving from one responsibility to the next, but your heart is longing for stillness, longing for connection, longing for the gentle nearness of God. [00:05:34] You see, busyness doesn’t always look like chaos. [00:05:37] Sometimes it looks like faithfulness. [00:05:40] Sometimes it can look like responsibility. [00:05:44] Sometimes it looks like doing all the right things while quietly drifting from the One who gives us rest, the One who matters most. [00:05:56] But here’s the truth, and I learned it the hard way. [00:06:00] Abiding isn’t something we stumble into. [00:06:03] It’s something we choose not perfectly, not every day, but intentionally.

God’s Invitation: Be With Him, Not Do More

[00:06:11] Because God isn’t asking us to do more for Him. [00:06:15] He’s inviting us to be with him, to slow down, to breathe, to pause, to remember that our worth isn’t in our productivity, our accomplishments, or our achievements, but in his presence. [00:06:36] Abiding doesn’t require a perfect morning routine or hours of quiet time. [00:06:41] And I’ve wrestled with both. [00:06:44] Abiding happens in the midst of everyday life. [00:06:49] While walking, while driving, while doing laundry, while recording a podcast, while sitting in silence for a few minutes. [00:06:58] With Scripture, abiding is simply keeping our hearts turned toward God throughout the day. [00:07:05] It is remembering.

God Is Always Near

[00:07:07] God is always with us. [00:07:10] God is always present. [00:07:12] God is always near. [00:07:16] Abiding is an Invitation to slow down. [00:07:20] And for many of us, slowing down feels very uncomfortable. [00:07:25] We have normalized busyness. [00:07:28] We wear it like a badge of honor. [00:07:30] Phones ringing, text pinging, calendar reminders chiming.

Distractions and the Shift of Focus

[00:07:35] Everywhere we look, distractions surround us. [00:07:39] Life is busy, perhaps even hectic and chaotic. [00:07:43] And these disruptions grab our attention, and interruptions shift our focus away from Jesus to the things that really don’t matter. [00:07:54] But as we begin to slow down, we often find ourselves noticing things we might otherwise miss. [00:08:03] Our weariness, our worries, our doubts. [00:08:09] Yet when we slow down, when we pause, we create space for something beautiful. [00:08:16] We shift our focus back to the one who is faithful and true, Our Savior, Jesus Christ. [00:08:24] And in our surrender, we release our weariness, our worries and our doubts.

The Power of Quiet Moments and Surrender

[00:08:32] And it is in the quiet moments of surrender that we hear him most clearly. [00:08:39] James 4, verse 8 reminds us to draw near to God and He will draw near to us. [00:08:46] This verse calls us to a deep, intentional and abiding relationship with God. [00:08:53] And when we turn to him, he draws near to us. [00:08:59] He is present. [00:09:01] Let’s take a moment to pause. [00:09:05] Let’s take a slow, deep breath and exhale. [00:09:13] Ask yourself, where in my life do I feel spiritually hurried? [00:09:19] Now imagine gently bringing that place before God.

[00:09:25] You don’t need to fix it. [00:09:27] You simply bring it to him in surrender. [00:09:32] And, my friend, that is the beginning of abiding in Him. [00:09:40] One of the most beautiful things about abiding is that it meets us in every season, in seasons of clarity and joy and seasons of waiting and seasons of heartbreak. [00:09:52] Abiding is simply remaining connected to God. [00:09:56] Even when we feel unsure, even when our prayers feel quiet, we remain. [00:10:03] We remain connected to Him. [00:10:07] Often we think spiritual growth happens through dramatic moments.

The Slow Growth of Abiding

[00:10:11] But most transformation happens slowly, quietly, over time. [00:10:17] Just like a branch growing fruit, you don’t see the growth happening day by day, but over time, fruit appears. [00:10:25] The same is true in our lives. [00:10:28] Patience grows, peace deepens, faith strengthens. [00:10:33] And often we look back and realize God was shaping us all along. [00:10:39] And if you’re listening today and feeling spiritually tired, I want to gently remind you God is not asking you to try harder. [00:10:50] He’s inviting you to come closer, to come as you are. [00:10:55] It is an invitation into an intimate relationship with our Savior.

A Practical Step to Help You Abide

[00:11:01] I’d like to share with you a simple practice to help you abide this week. [00:11:07] Choose a short prayer you can return to throughout your day. [00:11:11] It’s simple. [00:11:12] Something like, lord, help me to remain in you, or Jesus, you are the true vine. [00:11:18] Help me to remain in you. [00:11:21] Allow that prayer to gently turn your attention back to God again and again. [00:11:28] This is how abiding deepens and grows. [00:11:31] One small moment at a time.

The Invitation to Remain in Christ

[00:11:36] And as we close today, I want to return to Jesus’s words in John 15, verse 4, remain in me as I also remain in you. [00:11:48] This is not a commandment to burdene us. [00:11:51] It is an invitation meant to free us. [00:11:54] An invitation to live connected to the One who gives us life, who nourishes us in the day to day hustle and bustle of life. [00:12:07] It’s not about striving, it’s about resting in Him. [00:12:15] Let’s close with a simple prayer. [00:12:19] Lord, teach us how to remain in you. [00:12:21] Help us slow down enough to notice your presence.

Closing Prayer

[00:12:25] Remind us that growth comes not from striving, but from staying connected to you. [00:12:33] And may our lives bear fruit that reflects your love. [00:12:38] May we be women who stay connected to the vine in the midst of everyday life. [00:12:46] In Jesus holy and precious name we pray. [00:12:49] Amen. [00:12:51] Thank you for spending this time with me today and thank you for being a part of reflecting life. [00:12:57] Until next time. [00:12:59] Keep abiding in him, trusting his voice and reflecting his love in your everyday life.