Music Monday: “Abide” By Aaron Williams
by Debbie Waltz
With Thanksgiving only five days away, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for all the blessings in my life. With my mom and writing coach by my side, I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into my novel, pushing through every hurdle and inching closer to that moment when it’s finally presentable for agents and publishers. As the goal draws closer, a nagging feeling creeps in—have I truly done all I could? My writing coach had unwavering faith in the project’s authenticity, despite others’ reservations of my writing style or voice. Her opinion and God’s will are my guiding forces as I navigate the final stretch of this journey.
In our modern world where we’re all about being self sufficient, our faith reminds us to rely on God’s strength and guidance . This is because our understanding of the future is limited and incomplete. God possesses an infinite capacity to comprehend not only our present choices, but also the ripple effects they create, extending into the future. Isaiah 55:8-9 says: ” ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. While we can’t predict the future, God has a vast and complete understanding of everything that will happen. He is fully aware of the far-reaching consequences that our choices will have on the lives of those who come after us. Ephesians 2: 10 reminds us, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)
While the knowledge that nothing is beyond God’s grasp should bring us solace, it ironically often has the opposite effect. In our most difficult moments, we question His whereabouts rather than simply seeking his comfort. Why is this? Because we have forgotten to abide in Him. John 15:4-5 says, “Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, 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, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” (NKJV)
Abiding is more than just resting; it’s about fully embracing and trusting God’s nature, allowing Him to be our anchor and guide us through the ups and downs of life’s journey. That’s not always the easiest thing to do. Believe me, I know. It involves knowing that when everything around you changes, God doesn’t. He remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Here are some of my tips for abiding in God daily.
- Stay in The Word. This is where you’ll learn the most about God, his character and faithfulness
- Pray. God wants to hear from us. Of course, God already knows what’s happening in our lives but he wants to hear it from our perspective. As much as prayer is communicating things to God, listening is also important. God may want to use you in unexplained ways (I’ll be honest, this is where I’m struggling at the moment)
Please drop me a line if you would like me to pray for you about something. I’d be more than happy to talk you and or pray with you
Here is Aaron Williams song “Abide”
PS. Happy Thanksgiving. I will be taking the rest of the week off from the blog and enjoying it with my family. You should to.