Are you letting things go and trusting in Christ? Or are you abiding and trusting in your works?

Are you abiding in Christ or trusting in the work of your hands? I have written this question down in my journal several times over the last few months and continue to go back to it. It is easier to focus on our own works than rely on the Lord’s strength and spirit to guide us. If you are anything like me, you like to have control over things and check things off of your list. As a newlywed and new homebuyer, the past few months have been full of things I cannot control and lists full of additions rather than things I am completing. This new season has been such a sweet one, but also one full of growth and lots of patience (or lack thereof). 

You have heard it said if you pray for patience, the Lord will answer it by putting you behind every slow car on the way to work, or you will hit every red light. It feels like this has been a few months of “hold on and wait,” but God is still working and is good no matter what. Maybe you are praying for a new job, a husband/wife, a prodigal child, to get out of financial hardship, or to be free of any other stress/situations you have going on. It’s easy to feel like you have to figure it out on your own and in an exact timeframe, but there is peace in knowing the Creator of the world has gone before you, is with you, and knows what is to come. He is not surprised by anything, so rest in His goodness and faithfulness.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.” – John‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Here are a few questions to consider: 

1. What area of your life are you holding on to that you need to give to the Lord?

2. How can you choose to abide in Christ today? 

3. Who else needs to be encouraged to let things go and trust the Lord rather than figuring it out on their own?