Just Abide

How do you continue to carry the sound—or keep the fire burning?

First, I think it’s important to define what that “sound” or “fire” really is. It’s not an emotion. It’s not striving. It’s not a playlist or a good feeling. It’s a steady, consistent, trusting, and predictable walk with your Lord and Savior. Flames may look and feel wild, but it’s the strong, steady burn of the coals that must be tended.

During City Week, you were just surrounded by leaders and friends who were chasing after God with everything in them. Everyone’s individual sound came together to create one beautiful, harmonious melody. It was a powerful example of a wildfire… But what fuels that fire are the coals.

Flames can build quickly—but they can fade just as fast. Don’t get me wrong: the flames serve a purpose. But the reason you heard such a sound this week was because each person had a steady fire—coals burning within. When steady fires come together, they create a great blaze.

So, how do you build that steadiness? How do you build that rhythm?

John 15:4 shows us: “Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.”

When you stay connected to Love Himself, you begin to bear fruit, and when those around you taste that fruit, it ignites something in them. We weren’t created to chase fire. We weren’t created to be consumed by producing sound. It was never about those things.

It’s about Him.

When knowing Him becomes your sole purpose—when you seek Him for who He is—you bear fruit. You make a sound. We were made to stay connected to the true Vine, so He can begin and finish His perfect work in us.

Walk with Him every day.

QUESTION FOR TODAY: What’s causing you to be disconnected from the True Vine, and what action do you need to take to change that?

PRAY THIS:

Jesus, help me see who You truly are. I want to stay connected to You. Show me where I may be striving instead of abiding. I pray that performance would die in Your presence. Show me how I can pursue a more intimate, daily walk with You. Amen.

TRY THIS:

Sometimes we hear silence when we expect to hear His voice, but we don’t need to fear the silence. He is teaching you to recognize the whisper—the gentle touch of His still, small voice—His peace. Try sitting in complete silence for 5 minutes, free of distractions, and wait to hear His voice. Give it time. Don’t rush. Wait with expectation, journal in hand.