I John 2:28,29 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.” “Abide in Him.” This is a common phrase for John. In ch 15 of the gospel he wrote, John spent several verses on Jesus’comments about the vine and the branches. The first evidence of abiding is bearing fruit. This fruit is spoken about in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. The primary one is love. 1 Corinthians 13 has the famous treatise on love. Here are verses 4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” This is simply amazing. All of these comments address self promotion and self preservation. The loving person isn’t all about this. As we abide in Him, we realize that He will work it out for our best. We don’t have to pressure, manuver and outwit. It’s about trusting that He loves us as much as He says He does. Jesus says that pruning is part of the abiding process. To see a pruned tree is not a pretty site. When we are pruned, it’s painful. There’s loss. many of the beautiful branches that seem fine are cut back. It’s not anounced that this is pruning and this will be to your benefit. It’s shocking. 1 Peter 4:12,13 says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” As we abide in Him, we learn the befefit to this. We don’t get as alarmed. We trust Him with the outcome. Another aspect of abiding is fulfillment. In v.11 of John 15, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” We seek happiness in many areas. Some of it is good. But we will never be content unless we are resting in God. Lord, thank You that You want us to abide in you. You want to associate with us. Help us to ever abide in You.