John 15 speaks of the necessity of abiding in Christ. And we know from reading that particular passage that apart from Him, we can bear no fruit. But what does it look like to abide in Christ and how can we do it, particularly in the area of motherhood?
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John 15: 1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Abiding in Christ in Motherhood
Like many of you, I’ve read these verses a lot in my life. And it has connected with me in different ways as I travel through various seasons and stages of life.
In the last five years, it has taken on a new meaning as I learn that apart from God, I cannot be the mother I want to be. I can’t bear the fruit I desire in motherhood without Him.
But as I’ve read it, I have often thought, “Okay. I know I need to abide in Christ… but how do I go about doing it in everyday life?” Especially in this busy season of motherhood.
I know abiding in Christ is something all Christians must learn to do, regardless of the particulars of their lives. But in this post, I’m going to focus on moms and a few practical ways we can do it in the busy, messy, sometimes chaotic midst of motherhood.
I’m definitely not an expert. So this is not an exhaustive list of disciplines by any means, and I am not perfect at any of them. But they have helped me develop the practice of abiding in Christ, and I hope they help you, too.
5 WAYS TO ABIDE IN CHRIST AS A MOM
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Spend time with Him daily
Just as in human relationships, there are no shortcuts to developing a closer relationship with Christ. You cannot get to know Him — you cannot abide in Him — without spending time with Him.
I love this quote from Gloria Copeland’s book To Know Him,
“It doesn’t matter how close a branch is to a vine. The moment the branch is broken from it, it will begin to die. You can lay the branch right next to the vine, but if the union has been broken, there will be no life flow. There will be no sap flowing from the vine into the branch—no life flowing.”
That spiritual truth does not cease to be true when we become moms. We can make all the excuses we want about the busyness of motherhood, but the fact remains that we must spend regular time with Him to abide in Him. Is it challengi
ng? You bet! But impossible? No. Because He wouldn’t urge us to do it if we couldn’t.
Related Post: How to Have a Consistent Quiet Time as a Mom With Small Kids
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Talk to God throughout the day
However, abiding in Christ is not just a 30-minute quiet time in the morning. For too long, I lived as though it was, ticking it off my to-do list every day and assuming it was enough. But then I wondered why I wasn’t seeing His fruit or feeling His presence in my life throughout the day.
I’ve come to realize that I was compartmentalizing my communion with God. I sought Him in the morning and then did my thing the rest of the day. He was on my mind in the morning and then forgotten until the next quiet time rolled around.
I’m now practicing talking to Him throughout the day — as I complete chores, as I make decisions, and definitely as I discipline my children. (Oh my, how I need Him as I do that!)
I’m also working on developing a habit of using prayer “triggers” — certain activities or times of the day that prompt me to pray, such as folding laundry, putting the kids down for a nap, and driving to and from town.
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Invite Him into the everyday
A third way I’m learning to abide in Christ as a mom is by inviting Him into the everyday moments of motherhood. Not just the obvious sacred moments, but the messy moments and the mundane moments, too.
I don’t wait for big things to happen. I look for Him in the small things, too. I thank Him for the little blessings, I pray for wisdom about the trivial matters, and I look for His hand in the times that feel so ordinary and common in my daily life as a mom.
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Remember to listen
After all that talking, though, abiding also requires listening to Him in return! This is definitely an area of weakness for me and something I am working hard to improve. I tend to do a lot of talking and not a lot of listening. But in order to abide in Him, I need to hear from Him. And in order to hear from Him, I need to actually be listening.
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Focus on Christ, not the world
Finally, we cannot abide in Christ if we are abiding in the world — if we are more connected to the things of the world than we are the things of Heaven. We need to be intentional about keeping our eyes fixed on Christ — His Word, His priorities, His commands, and His standards — and not on the world.
What does that look like practically as a mom? Here are a few ways:
- Aligning our priorities for our kids with God’s purpose for their lives rather than the world’s definition of success
- Seeking Biblical instruction for parenting rather than following the latest trends in secular psychology or child-rearing methods
- Making church attendance a priority, even if it means fewer activities, trips, or sports
- Trusting in His provision for our family when we’re tempted to worry
- Keeping an eternal mindset in raising our kids
There are many practical ways to commune with God, and I have only barely skimmed the surface of what it means to abide in Christ. But these are five practices that I have been working on that have powerfully impacted my mothering and my relationship with the Lord. And I hope they help you, too.
SHARE WITH US: What does “abiding in Christ” mean to you, and how do you practically apply it in your everyday life as a mom?
Recommended Reading:
- 10 Ways to Build a Kingdom-Minded Family
- 13 Scriptures to Dedicate Your Day
- 5 Lessons for Motherhood From History’s Only Perfect Teacher
- 20 Rejuvenating Scriptures for Weary Moms
Share your thoughts!