Growth Points: Resting and Relaxing in Grace
dlplife July 25th, 2008
Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.John 15:4
Do you ever get tired of trying to act like a Christian? I do. I’ve found that I don’t seem to get very far that way either, that is trying to act like a Christian rather than just being a Christian by the power and presence of Christ in my life. I don’t seem to be able to conquer my wrong tendencies nor even enjoy having God as my Father, Christ as my Savior, and the Spirit as my Counselor. Worries mount, joys disappear, and I get grouchy when I try to act like a Christian without abiding in Christ.
There is a strange discipline that we need to learn: the discipline of relaxing and resting in Christ, of abiding and remaing in Him. But learning it will enable God to do within us what He desires. Not learning it will result in continual frustration and failure in our Christian walk. The question for you today is are you learning to rest in Christ, to remain in HIm, to cease a struggle in your own strength to do the will of God, and allow Him to do His work within you?
Miles Stanford in “The Green Letters” wrote these words on resting in Christ:
In the important but exhausting labor process we come to see the needed truth; we become sure of our facts; we begin to realize something of what is ours in the Lord Jesus Christ. The appropriation of, the resting in the reality must be on the basis of faith, not struggle and labor. We are told to reckon, to count upon what we now know to be true of us in Him as set forth in the Word. “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). We are to look quietly and steadily to our Father in confident trust, and thankfully receive that which He has given to us in His Son.
Abiding and remaining in Christ means to let Him draw you into His presence, into the sphere of His influence and remain there. Being in the presence of a calm man makes you calm within yourself. Being in the presence of a peaceful man or a confident man helps you become peaceful and confident. All human influences pale in comparison to Christ who not only impresses us with His character but is also present within us. Christ gives us salvation, but also love, joy, peace, 
patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. He has not only purchased forgiveness for us, but also transformed and victorious lives. Our greatest struggles seem to be to learn to let go of our own effort and just rest in Him.
Today, read a Psalm, enter into a conversation with Christ through prayer, turn off and tune out the noises around you and sit in His presence. Consider who He is and allow Him to give you the deep down soul rest that He desires to give to you. He has bought it, He personifies it, and He offers it to you today. You can receive it by faith.
Lord, teach us to abide in You, to be drawn into your presence and to draw from Your presence the strength and peace we need and crave. Like a branch does with a vine, let us be nourished by our connection to You. Let us put aside our self efforts and rejoice that You are able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or think. Give us relief from worry, the peace that passes all understanding, and the joy and strength that comes from You. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor David