Abide | Part 1
God never intended for our Christian life to become stagnant. He has increase on His mind for you and me. Jesus shows us in John 15 that there is supposed to be a progression in our lives. We go from fruit, to more fruit, to much fruit. In other words, the Christian life should be progressive. It should be productive. We should be growing in our faith, growing in our character, growing in our influence, and becoming more like Christ.
That matters in every area of life, including our leadership. I don't believe we should have one version of ourselves at church and another version at work. If Christ is working in me, there should be fruit in my marriage, my family, my relationships, my decisions, my leadership, and the way I treat people in the marketplace. The fruit in our lives should reveal Christ to the world.
Jesus tells us the secret to that kind of life in John 15. It is one simple word: abide.
What Does It Mean to Abide?
To abide means to remain. It means to persevere, to endure, to stay connected, and to refuse to quit when life becomes difficult. It is resilience. It is having the grit not to quit.
Anybody can follow God when everything is going their way. But what happens when you are disappointed? What happens when the business isn't growing like you thought it would? What happens when somebody you trusted lets you down? What happens when you're waiting for an answer that hasn't come yet? What happens when there is pressure in your family, your finances, your health, or your leadership?
Abiding means I remain.
I don't walk away from God because life became difficult. I don't allow disappointment, offense, pressure, or unanswered questions to disconnect me from the One who is my source. I keep on keeping on. I stay connected to Him.
After more than four decades of ministry, I can tell you that there have been plenty of opportunities to quit. We're all human. We all go through seasons when we get tired and discouraged. But I have learned that the strength to persevere does not come from trying harder in my own ability. It comes from abiding in Him.
Jesus said in John 15:1, “I am the true vine.” He is the source. He is the origin of life. If I want a meaningful life, I need to know Him. If I want a purposeful life, I need to know Him. If I want to become the leader God created me to be, I have to stay connected to my source.
Be Conscious of His Presence
The first word I want you to remember is conscious. Abiding means living with a continuous awareness of God's presence. Not just on Sunday. Not just during prayer. Not just when we're in trouble. We learn to become conscious of His presence throughout the day. Think about how different your leadership would become if you were constantly aware that God was with you.
Before you walk into that meeting, God is with you. Before you respond to that difficult email, God is with you. When somebody criticizes you, God is with you. When you have to make a major decision, God is with you. When you don't know what to do next, God is with you.
Too often we become more conscious of our problems than we are of His presence. We become conscious of the pressure. We become conscious of the economy. We become conscious of what somebody said about us. We become conscious of what isn't working.
What would happen if instead of focusing on the problem, the pressure, the people, or the past, we began focusing on His presence? You cannot grow in God without focus, and you cannot grow in God without fellowship. So throughout your day, remind yourself: God is here. God is with me. God is for me. His wisdom is available to me. His power is available to me. His goodness is available to me.
When I become conscious of His presence, it changes the way I lead.
Cultivate His Presence
The second word is cultivate. It is one thing to be aware of God's presence. It is another thing to intentionally create an environment where my fellowship with Him can grow. That's what cultivation means. Think about a garden. A gardener doesn't create the life inside a seed, but he cultivates an environment where that seed can grow. He prepares the soil. He waters it. He removes the weeds. He protects what has been planted.
We have to do the same thing spiritually. I cultivate God's presence through prayer. I cultivate His presence through worship. I cultivate His presence through reading His Word. I cultivate His presence through gratitude, generosity, serving, walking in love, and maintaining the right attitude. Gratitude is especially powerful. When I begin thanking God for what He has already done, it gets my attention off what I don't have and puts it on what He has already provided. Thanksgiving changes the atmosphere of my heart.
As leaders, we understand the importance of culture. We work hard to cultivate the right culture in our organizations and on our teams. But before I cultivate the culture around me, I have to cultivate the right environment within me. What am I allowing into my heart every day? What am I listening to? What am I thinking about? What am I focusing on? Am I creating an environment where my relationship with God can grow?
If I want more of God's presence operating in my leadership, I need to make room for Him.
Cooperate With God
The third word is cooperate. Abiding isn't passive. I have a part to play. When God speaks, I cooperate. When He corrects me, I cooperate. When His Word shows me something that needs to change, I cooperate. When He tells me to forgive, I forgive. When He tells me to serve, I serve. When He tells me to change my attitude, I change my attitude.
One of the greatest obstacles to growth is resistance. I've seen people say they want to grow, but they don't want correction. They want greater influence, but they don't want greater responsibility. They want God to bless what they're doing, but they don't stop and ask whether what they're doing is what God wants.
Growth requires cooperation. John 15 teaches us that there is a process of pruning, cleansing, correction, and adjustment. God loves us too much to leave us exactly where we are. There will be times when He wants to adjust our attitude, our outlook, our priorities, and our purpose. That can be uncomfortable, but pruning isn't punishment. God is preparing us to become more fruitful.
The question is, Will I cooperate with the process?
As a leader, I have to be teachable. I have to remain correctable. I have to be willing to listen when God is showing me that something needs to change. Before I make an important decision, I want to acknowledge Him. I don't want to make decisions out of fear, anger, offense, pressure, or emotion. I want to say, “God, what do You want me to do?” Abiding is surrendering my will to His will.
You Were Created for His Purpose
There was a time in my life when I had many of the things people think will make them happy. Kim and I were married. I had a new Corvette and a new motorcycle. We were planning to build a new house. I was in management and receiving bonuses. But we were miserable. I had stuff, but I didn't have a meaningful life.
Everything changed when I realized that Jesus is the true vine. He is the source of life. I wasn't created simply to build my own life and ask God to bless it. I was created by God, for God, to fulfill His purpose. That realization changed my perspective. It changed my priorities. It still does.
Marketplace leadership can easily become centered around achievement. We measure revenue, growth, promotions, influence, productivity, and results. There is nothing wrong with wanting to succeed. But success without purpose will eventually leave you empty.
The greatest question isn't simply, “What am I accomplishing?”
The greater question is, “Am I becoming who God created me to be, and am I accomplishing what He created me to do?”
When we understand that He is the source, leadership stops being about proving ourselves and starts becoming stewardship. My gifts belong to Him. My opportunities belong to Him. My influence belongs to Him. My business belongs to Him. My leadership belongs to Him.
Carry His Presence Into the Marketplace
Imagine that a multimillionaire handed you a valuable ring and said, “Keep this ring in your pocket for thirty days. Don't lose it. Don't misplace it. Keep it with you every single day, and at the end of thirty days I'll give you one million dollars.” I think you would become very conscious of that ring. Throughout the day you would probably reach down and touch your pocket just to make sure it was still there. You would be aware of what you were carrying because you understood its value. You and I are carrying something infinitely more valuable than a ring or a million dollars.
We are carrying the presence of Almighty God.
What would happen if we became that conscious of His presence? When you walk into your workplace, you carry His presence. When you lead your team, you carry His presence. When you sit across the table from a client, you carry His presence. When you're facing a problem nobody else knows how to solve, you carry His presence.
Your leadership can reveal Christ without you having to force it. Remember, fruit isn't supposed to struggle to become fruit. A grape doesn't strain to produce another grape. Fruit is the natural result of staying connected to the source.
The same is true for you and me. When we learn to abide in Christ, the fruit becomes natural. Our character changes. Our attitudes change. Our decisions change. The way we treat people changes. The way we respond to pressure changes. People begin to see something different in us.
They begin to see Christ.
Leadership Challenge
This week, I want you to practice these three words: conscious, cultivate, cooperate.
First, become conscious of God's presence. Before every important meeting, conversation, or decision, stop for a moment and acknowledge that God is with you. Instead of immediately focusing on the pressure around you, focus on His presence within you.
Second, cultivate His presence. Make room in your schedule for the Word, prayer, worship, and gratitude. Ask yourself what kind of environment you are creating inside your heart. Don't allow the demands of leadership to crowd out your relationship with the One who gave you the opportunity to lead.
Third, cooperate with Him. Ask God, “What are You trying to change in me right now?” Maybe it is your attitude. Maybe it is your priorities. Maybe it is the way you respond to correction. Maybe it is a decision you have been trying to make without acknowledging Him. Whatever He shows you, cooperate with the process.
Don't resist the pruning that produces greater fruit.
God has increase on His mind for you. He doesn't want you to remain stagnant. He wants you to grow from fruit, to more fruit, to much fruit.
Stay connected to the source. Stay conscious of His presence. Cultivate your relationship with Him. Cooperate with what He is doing in you.
Abide in Him, and let the fruit of your life and leadership reveal Christ to the world.