Cry Out, Then Abide

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. —John 15:4

Ask.

Whatever we want, all we have to do is ask.

It’s what God told King Solomon (1 Kings 3:5).

It’s what King Herod said to the beguiling daughter of Herodias (Matt. 14:6–7).

It’s also what Jesus says to us (John 15:7).

But is that all there is to getting what we want? Just ask? We might want this to be true, but our experiences with unfulfilled prayer requests say otherwise. If it seems like God isn’t listening or His answer seems slow, know that He hears you, and He is calling you to abide.

Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). We love to quote the second half of this verse, but what about the beginning? If. It signals a contingency. If you and I do something, then God will do something. Before we can claim the promise, He first tells us to abide. To remain, dwell, and live in Him.

When we are vitally connected to Him, we draw life and strength, grace, and peace. We need to abide if we want to cultivate an intimate, growing relationship with our Savior. Abiding begins with a choice—a conscious decision. It’s based on the truth that the source of strength, grace, comfort, and everything else we need for life is found in Christ. When we abide in Him, His desire for us becomes our heart’s desire . . . and our resulting prayer life will never be the same!

How to Pray

Lord, You are the vine and I am a branch. Apart from You, I am nothing and have nothing. I ask that You change my heart and make the desires of my heart be Your desires. Help me to trust Your timing and Your ways, even when I don’t see what You’re doing.

What to Pray

• Ask the Lord what He wants to teach you today.
• Have you neglected praying for any reason? Confess to God and ask Him to remind You of His truth.
• What specific requests are you asking of God for yourself, the Church, and the world? While you pray for those, ask God to help you abide in Him.

Editor’s Note: Today’s devotional was adapted from a TrueWoman.com blog post.