"How do you know if you're abiding in Him?" was a question I ask a few weeks ago.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5
Abide means continue, stay, and remain. And one great thing I've come to love REST. Resting in His peace and joy.
After waiting and wondering if I am abiding, I learned I have to look at the fruit in my life. Two of those right now are joy and peace. If I'm filled with His joy and peace, it's a pretty clear indicator to my heart that I'm abiding.
Through learning that, I also learned how joy and peace are coupled together. If you have one, you should really have the other. After looking back on last semester, I saw I wasn't abiding. There was peace, but very little joy. I couldn't muster it up if I wanted. He's come in and rocked my world this semester. There have been many changes, but what sticks out most is the presence of joy in my life.
Here are a couple of passages showing how joy and peace complement each other. Dive into them. Be encouraged.
Peace and Joy
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
This is probably my favorite:
"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of the briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD'S renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed." Isaiah 55:12-13
"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Psalm 34:14
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Romans 14:17-18
Be blessed to overflowing with His peace and joy.
