Full Runnings

Every so often, I catch myself humming ‘Be the Center’ by Vineyard Worship.

Jesus, be the center. Be the reason that I live, Jesus.

No doubt, it’s a catchy song fit with symmetrical lyrics and a soothing melody.

But frankly speaking, sometimes this ‘center’ feels far away in a distant land where the line becomes blurred between poetic license and figurative expression. In my heart, I crave Christ as my epicenter. Yet, like a geologist who cares about his audience, knowing how this translates to the surface is harder to discern.

Thankfully, when we look at Matthew 11, John 15, and 1 John 2-3, we find a key word integral to the conversation, ‘abide’. To abide with Christ, we must make holy habitation where we walk and talk with God. Applying various translations, to abide in Christ, we must accept Him as a safe place of dwelling and refuge where His love can be known, especially in times of trouble (Psalm 91:1-2).

That said, what makes the word one of the most versatile in all Scripture is the fact it extends past place and addresses our internal posture. See John 6:56, for instance, where communion is defined as a way to remain in lockstep with Jesus or Revelation 2:26, in which abiding is conveyed as a connector between perseverance and salvation. Taking the mean of these passages, when we remember the Cross and repent within the shadows invading our sanctuary, we can experience true freedom where our capacity to exalt God is extended.

For many of us, we desire the supernatural rest and peace that overflows from being present with God; albeit, for some, the effects of spiritual abiding are more preferred than the intimacy required. Deep down, we know there’s nothing sweeter than God’s presence and essence, in being held and kept under His wings.

Still, there’s a gnarly disconnect we occasionally encounter, a spiritual fly in the ointment compromising our pursuit of the divine. For years, I figured complacency and unbelief were the primary reasons we sometimes fail to yield to God in challenging circumstances; however, upon further review, the greatest divides hover over the areas where we’re most resistant to ask and receive God into…

…which brings me to why I’m writing this.

As believers, we must be willing to invite God into every aspect of our lives, not just our brokenness but every part of our identity from vocational to relational, even our sexuality. Far too long, I resisted this practice in full viewing the call as redundant per my belief in God as sovereign author over all things. Little did I realize how I was flipping ‘abide’ on its head as an excuse not to invite God into the deepest, most intimate places.

Accordingly, the reason I struggled to welcome God into my messiness was pride masked by the belief that God should already be where I sought to invite Him.

If you can relate, we can address one of the biggest elephants in the room removing this circular reference: Why aren’t we quicker to God in certain situations? Apart from the ‘scroll’ problem our society has, what keeps us from instantly defaulting to God in times of breaking and shaking?

The answer, in part, lies in how we split our abiding with Christ from inviting God into our every place of our being. Sure, our hearts may be willing, but what about the rest of our inner man? When we sense division communally or even within the confines of our own earthly vessel, when we’re tempted, are we running to God with expectancy, the joy set before us?

These are questions we must ask ourselves daily, not just when small fractures become gaping cervices. Regarding marketplace implications, I will revisit this topic in future months to unpack how this looks on the clock.

For today, I encourage you to take inventory of where there’s spiritual latency in your life. What specific areas are you hesitant to invite God in, are more likely to stiff-arm His presence? Or better put, where are you stalling? In what ways are you quicker to other options apart from God?

Begin to ask these questions as you abide and watch what God will do as He speaks to and through you.