Presented by Lauren Stibgen

Picture for me the wheel on a bicycle. In the center you have a hub. From the hub you have many spokes that connect to the outer circle of the wheel to make it round and keep it round. These spoke form pie-slice sections in the wheel to create stability. All these parts work together to move the bicycle down the road smoothly.

Now, I want you to picture what happens when you remove the hub. Suddenly, all those spokes have no connection and the structure just fails. Or maybe the hub is there but you have a few spokes that are shorter than the others. Your wheel becomes very wobbly, and you simply fall flat. That bicycle is going nowhere fast! And hopefully none of this happened while you were cruising down the road quickly!

You might be thinking, what in the world does any of this have to do with Jesus or our walk. Well, let me repaint this wheel for you. At the center of your wheel is Jesus. He is our hub that holds all the spokes together. The spokes represent different areas of our life, that if left unattended consistently, become out of shape or have different levels of “fullness” to create a perfect rounded life. The visual is meant to help you find a balance while remembering that Jesus must be in the center of all areas to have true success!  And here’s a news flash: I have been using this exercise for over 8 years, and my wheel has never been perfectly round. However, came into better shape when I took my relationship with Jesus out of the spokes and made him the hub!

Let’s consider this hub. How do we evaluate our walk with Jesus? What are some of the commandments and spiritual disciplines we are called to keep that help ensure we have a hub for our wheel? I consider these the elements of abiding.

John 15:4-5 exhorts, 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.”

Jesus is very clear. He is the vine (or hub), and my life is made up of these branches (or spokes). If I am not abiding in him, I simply can’t do anything. I could nurture my branches and water them and try everything I know how to do, but if I am severed from the vine, none of my efforts will ever bear fruit! So, how do we abide? Here are a few practices and some Scripture that point to the goodness of each.

First, simply be in God’s Word. You cannot expect a fully abiding relationship with Jesus if you never read your Bible and study it in a deeper way. Every time I read a book of the Bible again, I receive a new revelation that is perfect for me in that time. It is like God knows what I need, when I need it! Imagine that! Just like a vine that provides perfect nourishment for the branch, God is nourishing me with his Word in the most perfect way. If I am not reading, he is not feeding!

Deuteronomy 8:3 states that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.

In John 6:35 Jesus further clarifies, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

Another practice of abiding is prayer. Are you taking time to talk to God? Or do your days hurry frenetically, filled with stress? If you are on social media, I know you have seen the quote, “Have you prayed about it more than you’ve talked about it”? If I am honest, there are many times I find myself steeped in idle talk with others rather than praying to God about a problem. As we discover the spokes of our wheel, we’ll see why this is problematic.

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

There are countless verses about prayer, but this one is critical for our balanced life. Our flesh is simply too weak to keep our sin nature from destroying the spokes of our wheel! Speaking of our sin nature, when was the last time you confessed your sins before the Lord?

Whoever conceals their sin does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13).

In the Psalms, David described how his bones wasted away when he was silent. God’s hand was heavy on him, but when he confessed, God forgave him.

Another element of abiding is being a part of Christ’s church—placing yourself within the body of believers. First Peter 2:5 says, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

How are you abiding in the vine with other believers? This is important as others can encourage and hold you accountable to practice the abiding elements like reading the Word, praying, and confessing your sins!

The Word also calls us to love one another. John 13:35 exhorts, By this all will know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another. If you are not in community with other believers how would anyone know you are a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind… (Romans 12:2).

If you are still walking in the ways of this world, how would anyone know you are abiding with Jesus?!Have you worshiped and praised God lately? Another element of abiding, praise and worship can happen both in solitude and in community with other believers.

…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under earth (Philippians 2:10).

 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name (Hebrews 13:15).

Abiding: Reading the Word, prayer, confession, praise and being part of the body of Christ!

Just how whole is the hub of your wheel? As you start planning for anything, I would encourage you to start here. How can you strengthen these elements of your relationship with Jesus? After all, apart from him you can do nothing — nada—at least nothing that will bear fruit!

Perhaps this is where your wheel stops for a while, but let’s consider the other spokes. These are elements of our lives that, when out of balance, make our ride bumpy to say the least.

I am going to start by listing these elements: Spouse or significant other, education/self-Improvement, fun and hobbies, vacation/renewal, home/office dwelling, finances and possessions, health, serving/giving, career/professional, family and friends.

The Bible has something to say about almost everything listed here. Let’s bring these elements into some major categories: relationships, health, leisure, finances, personal growth. Some of the spokes span a few of these categories but bear with me.

Now, as we think of how we evaluate each of these spokes, let’s start from a place of abiding.

Relationships. What does God have to say about marriage, family, and friendships. Well, a lot! In fact, I could spend an entire program talking about it, so let’s pick a few of the hot buttons. I think first and foremost we should consider John 13:34-35: A new command I give you; love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another.

If you don’t know, this is Jesus speaking to his disciples. In relationships we are called to LOVE like Jesus! What does this look like? Just a few chapters later, Jesus tells us, Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). Have you ever said delightfully, “Gosh, I just love so and so to death!” Wonder where that little phrase came from? Look no further than Jesus. He died for our sins. This is the ultimate love he has for those who place their faith in him.

Loving well in marriage, friendship, and with family is, again, a rich biblical subject, but we can start with thinking of forgiveness and supporting one another.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).

Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).

As you think about your relationship goals or how to repair your broken wheel spokes, look first to God’s Word to set the standard!

Health. Does God care about our body? You bet He does!

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Garbage in, garbage out. What are you consuming? Food, media, anything that doesn’t help you honor God with your physical and mental health should be first on your list as you set goals for health. He made an amazing body for you! You are called to honor him with it.

Leisure. Fun and hobbies and vacations. For some, this may include serving too. How do you honor God with your leisure? The verse that comes to mind again from earlier is to not be conformed to this world. If you could picture Jesus coming alongside you for any of the leisure activities or vacations, would he be staring at you in shameful disbelief, or would he be walking along the shore of a sandy beach admiring the glory of creation with you? It is funny what comes to mind when you frame it this way! Maybe you love to read, crochet, run, or paint? Whatever you do, do it for the glory of the Lord!

Finances. This spoke has a lot of impact. Whether it is charitable giving, home renovations, vacation plans, or ideas about what you want or maybe need, without finances, the probability of purchasing anything isn’t very promising. Remember the hub—without Jesus none of this is very promising. So many people think of dollars when they hear the word finances, but this could imply evaluating everything from your earnings to your debt. Or maybe you are evaluating tithes, trying to gain a better understanding of what this means for you.

Let’s remember every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). We simply need to open the Bible to learn more about giving and finance. Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of your crops. And when we don’t consider God first, 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us that, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Not the money itself—the love of money.

Personal growth. Let’s consider education, self-improvement, career, and professionalism—although, self-improvement can impact almost all other spokes as well. As you seek to improve yourself, just remember, this can be an uncomfortable but worthwhile process.

Completing this exercise will cause personal growth! The AI assist on Google calls this “a holistic perspective, visual representation, self-awareness promoting tool that can be used as a goal setting foundation”. If this isn’t personal growth, I am not sure what is!

How round is your wheel? Is it in balance? Are you missing the hub or have a few broken spokes?

Remember, start by making Jesus the center of your life. Apart from him you can do nothing!

How Balanced is Your Life Handout

As I was reading John 7 recently, I saw again how God is not impressed with the same things that impress us.

In this chapter, the Pharisees were trying to get rid of Jesus. They sent the temple guards to arrest him. But instead of arresting Jesus, the guards started listening to him. They’d never heard anyone like Jesus before, and they were captivated. Later when they went back to the chief priests and Pharisees without Jesus, they were confronted. Why didn’t you bring him in? asked the Pharisees.

They answered, No one ever spoke the way this man does.

You mean he has deceived you also? the Pharisees retorted. Has any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.

The Pharisees pointed out none of the religious leaders and educated clergy had believed in Jesus, so therefore he couldn’t be for real. Jesus had no diplomas hanging on the wall, no titles after his name. He didn’t associate with the recognized leaders of his day. Just because the mob was impressed with Jesus didn’t mean anything to the Pharisees because they saw the common person as uneducated, and their views were therefore not important.

Just like us, the Pharisees judged people by earthly measures: What family did you come from? What school did you go to? What positions have you held? Jesus didn’t measure up in any of those categories, so the Pharisees rejected him.

Today we all tend to be impressed with achievements, titles, and positions. But remember, earthly credentials are meaningless to God. Throughout the ages God has used people who look unusable to us. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to learn and grow and achieve. It just means we must constantly remind ourselves that our achievements and credentials don’t carry any weight with God.

One thing impresses God: a heart that desires to know and love him above all else. I’m thankful God isn’t impressed with earthly credentials, because that means everyone, including me, can please God regardless of what the world thinks of us.

Everybody needs encouragement and help at times, don’t they? As I read 2 Corinthians 7, I realized even the great Apostle Paul had his bad times when he needed other people.

For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:5).

Doesn’t that describe the way you feel at times? Conflicts without fears within? But this is the spiritual giant, Paul, and it surprises us to realize he would have these feelings. We just need to remember that positions of prominence or responsibility do not isolate anyone from being human. Paul was tired and fearful. He needed help.

Where did his help come from? He goes on to say,

But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6).

He needed a friend at his side to comfort him, and so Titus came along. We could say to Paul, “But wasn’t it enough to have the Lord there?” And Paul would respond, “The Lord was there in the person of Titus. He comforted me by sending Titus.”

Yes indeed, that’s how the Body of Christ should function. God wants to use us in each other’s lives as messengers of comfort and encouragement, to pick up each other at those weary and frightened moments of our lives. God has given us each other for that purpose.

Paul goes on to say he was comforted by the good report Titus brought to him of the concern for his welfare by his friends in Corinth. Paul needed to know they cared, they hadn’t forgotten him, and they still loved him.

How often do we miss these opportunities to be God’s comfort in the lives of others? How often do we need to be by a friend’s side when they’re experiencing dark days? Or send a message to them—by text or snail mail or on the phone—just to say, I care.

Hallmark Cards has coined the phrase, “When you care enough to send the very best.” When we as Christians care enough about each other, we can send our very best, which is the comfort of God pouring through us to those who need it.

Is there someone in your life today that needs a Titus? Ask God to show you and allow him to use you as his agent of comfort and encouragement.

It’s highly likely the burnout you and I experience, the frazzled nerves and frayed edges, are a result of taking on jobs God never intended for us, trying to be superwomen or supermen, thinking we can be all things to all people, never saying, “It’s not my job.” And amid all those urgent voices, you and I have shortchanged what is important: the Word of God and prayer.

You cannot allow others—no matter how well intentioned—to cause you to try to be or do what you’re not supposed to be or do. You may disappoint them, but if you’re going to be effective for God, you have to avoid the tendency to try to be all things to all people.

It doesn’t mean a life of ease with no pressures. I’m sure the hours will sometimes still be long, and exhaustion will still be a part of your life. But the more you submerge yourself into God’s Word, the less frantic you’ll be, the more you’ll know what God wants you to do and what he doesn’t, the more peaceful and calm you can be as you face your heavy schedule.

In his booklet, The Tyranny of the Urgent, Charles Hummel has a suggestion, which I think is excellent. He suggests in addition to that daily time of getting to know God, you set aside one hour a week for spiritual inventory, to evaluate what’s happened over the past week and plan for the week ahead. To make certain your to-do list has the important things at the top.[1]

To help you and me in that process, I’ve written a simple guideline to use for that spiritual inventory. If you are serious about getting your priorities in line, about spending time getting to know God, about weeding out the unimportant things on your list of priorities and putting God’s Word and prayer at the top of your list, then you may find this guide for a weekly spiritual inventory helpful.

You’ll find it here.

I hope many of you will consider using this each week. I believe it will be a great help in getting you out of crisis mode and into a more God-centered lifestyle.

—

[1] Hummel, C. E. (1967). The Tyranny of the Urgent. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

Jesus could say at the end of his short earthly life, “I have finished the work which you gave me to do.” But I wonder how many of us will be able to say that. Are you doing what God has given you to do, or are you distracted and burned-out by trying to do urgent things that are not truly important?

Though Jesus did much during his short earthly life, he didn’t do everything everybody wanted him to do. He didn’t heal all the sick, he didn’t reach everyone. When so much was left undone, how could Jesus say he had finished his work? In his pamphlet, The Tyranny of the Urgent, Charles Hummel puts it so well, “Here is the secret of Jesus’ life and work for God: He prayerfully waited for his Father’s instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus…discerned the Father’s will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means he warded off the urgent and accomplished the important.”[1]

If you want to be free from burnout, free from being victimized by the loud voices of urgency that often surround you, you must remember what Jesus told us: If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32). A life of prayer and a life of daily abiding in the Word of God is our key. How easy it is to let these truly important things be shoved aside by all those urgent voices.

Urgent things usually have deadlines and time frames, while important things may not. Therefore, it’s quite easy to do the urgent things, but leave the important things undone.

Could it be you need to find balance in your life by making the main thing the main thing and not allowing those urgent voices to dictate your schedule? And at the top of your important list should be the commitment to spend substantial time in your pursuit of knowing the living God.

—

[1] Hummel, C. E. (1967). The Tyranny of the Urgent. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.

I saw something in Scripture that just made my day. Why? Because it said to me it’s okay to say, “That’s not my job.” If you constantly struggle with priorities and feel as though you are being pulled apart by demands and responsibilities, this could be great news for you, too.

One of the things I taught in my business seminars is you should never say, “It’s not my job.” But would you believe Jesus said that once? It’s in Luke 12:13 and 14. In this passage, a man asked Jesus to be a judge, and Jesus said, Who appointed me an arbiter between you and your brother? In essence, he said, “That’s not my job.”

I can imagine this man figured Jesus was the right person to settle this argument between him and his brother. As they say, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” But Jesus told him he was not called, nor did he intend to become an earthly judge in human affairs. I’m sure he was not unkind about it, but he certainly was direct.

In Mark 1:35-38 we see another example of a time when Jesus disappointed people. The whole town had gathered to hear him and be healed, and his disciples were most anxious for him to come and please this crowd. But Jesus decided he needed to go elsewhere, undoubtedly disappointing the crowd. You see, Jesus spent much time in prayer with his Father, and he knew his priorities very well.

Jesus did not avoid these people because he was tired or because he did not care. No, he often gave of himself tirelessly, going without food and rest in order to minister to the many who came to him for help. He was frequently exhausted, but he was never feverish, never frazzled, never burned-out.

Why? Because he knew what he was called to do, he knew what God’s priorities were for him, and that’s what he did, leaving other things undone. Sometimes people thought he should do other things, but he knew what was important and what wasn’t.

Burnout doesn’t come from doing God’s will; burnout is a result of not appropriately separating the urgent from the important, and this is one lesson I have to learn and re-learn.

The irony of self-righteousness is it not only blinds us to our sin, but it also prevents us from loving others as Jesus commands. When you and I remember that we fall short of God’s perfect standard, we will be less inclined to point the finger when people around us do too.

How might you be acting in hyper-critical, superior, or fault-finding ways toward others? Rather than being self-righteous, let’s remember we all fall short and live in light of the righteousness that is ours because of our faith in Christ. When we live this way, we display unity and draw others to Jesus.

I much prefer to be busy. Having nothing interesting or important to do is not where I want to be, and I find a full schedule forces me to be efficient, to manage my time more carefully, and therefore to get more accomplished.

Frankly, I would be miserable if I were not busy. God designed us to be busy. Jesus was busy; the disciples were busy. They were no doubt stressed out at times. I don’t believe you’ll ever meet or know anyone whom you admire who is not a busy person.

But I want to take a look at the downside of busyness; the potential bondage of busyness; the traps that are ready to swallow us if we don’t know how to set boundaries on busyness.

As I see it—at least for myself—busyness issues come down to six questions we need to ask ourselves:

1. Am I busy for the right reasons?

This will cause you to look at what you’re doing and make sure you are doing what God wants you to do. It will cause you to examine your priorities. It should cause you to pray more about your activities and where you’re expending your time and energy.

Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has a to-do list for you, and you will be busy when you know and do God’s will. For sure, God doesn’t approve of laziness or sitting on the sidelines and letting everyone else do the work. He wants us to be busy—but busy doing the right things, the things he has prepared in advance for each of us to do.

If you’re busy just to achieve some personal success, or to prove something, or because you need to win the approval of someone else, then you’re busy for the wrong reasons. That kind of busyness will lead to burnout and stress, and it will never give the satisfaction you’re looking for.

So, question number one is: Are you busy for the right reasons?

1. Has busyness become my identity?

We live in a world that honors busyness, that judges people based on how busy they are, and it is very easy to get caught up in this busy cycle as a sense of who we are. Since I tend to over-schedule at times and setting boundaries on my own busyness continues to be a challenge, I often do a self-check and make sure my self-worth is not based on my busyness. For me, that means offering up to God all I’m doing and once again acknowledging I am not my own, my schedule is not my own. My heavenly Father has a perfect right to change my schedule, to slow me down, to put me in another place with a totally different agenda.

If you frequently talk about how busy you are and you’re uncomfortable or feel guilty when you have a free moment to yourself, it could be you’ve allowed busyness to become your identity, your sense of well-being, and that is not a good place to be.

1. Do I take pride in my busyness?

Have you noticed how some people play one-upmanship about how busy they are? They seem to be in competition to win the prize as the busiest pers

Some years ago, God began to reveal to me that I actually could be addicted to busyness, and I did take pride in it. People would make comments about my busyness, and I would take them as compliments. But then I began to see that being recognized for being busy was not necessarily a good thing. Did I really want that kind of image, so that people just thought of me as busy?

So, I began to pray about this tendency, and I became intentional about not talking about how busy I was. Now, honestly, I cringe if anyone says something about how busy I am. Number one, I’m not that much busier than anyone else, but more importantly, that’s not how I want to be seen.

In fact, I worked at changing my attitude toward my busyness. Instead of thinking of all I had to do and giving a litany of my to-do list, as a point of pride and/or a complaint, I began to say, “Aren’t you blessed to have a lot to do today? Wouldn’t you be miserable if you had nothing of value to do today? It is a blessing to have more to do than you’ll get done.”

It really changes your attitude and releases a lot of the stress of busyness to change your thinking in that way.

1. Do I set appropriate boundaries on my busyness?

Here’s a news flash: You are not called to meet everyone’s need. If you don’t learn how to set boundaries on your busyness, you will heap lots of stress on yourself, and your busyness will be way out of bounds. Jesus knew how to say, “It’s not my job.” When asked to settle an argument between two brothers, he informed them he was not called to do that. When the disciples urged him to go speak to a certain town that had gathered to hear him, he insisted his call for that day was to go to another town. So, he walked away, and I’m sure many of those people were disappointed.

While on earth, Jesus was limited to a human body, and he knew how to set boundaries on his busyness. He knew when he needed some down time with his disciples. He understood he needed a Sabbath rest—a day of down time. And because he set boundaries, he was able to do what the Father sent him to do, and at the end of his short ministry could say he had accomplished everything the Father intended for him to do. There were no regrets.

Setting boundaries on our busyness requires prayer and wisdom from above. And we’ll need to learn how to say no! But that’s the only way we can live with no regrets.

1. Do I stay busy to avoid issues I need to confront?

For ten years of my life, I ran from the lordship of Jesus in my life, doing my own thing, seeking what I thought I had to have to be happy, trying to be very successful, etc. And to avoid the convicting voice of God in my life, I used busyness as my escape hatch. I simply programmed every minute of my days to avoid thinking time, to avoid any confrontation with my conscience and with God’s Spirit.

Thankfully, God’s Spirit hounded me and never gave up, and even though it took far too long for me to realize how harmful and stupid my lifestyle was, God gave me a second chance and has restored to me the years the locust have eaten, as we read in the book of Joel. I want to urge you not to do what I did. If busyness is your way of running from God, I can tell you that you can’t run fast or far enough. The smartest thing you can do is stop where you are and come back into the open and forgiving arms of the Lord Jesus.

1. Is my busyness an obstacle to my spiritual growth?

My guess is that busyness is the most common excuse we Christians use for not spending quality time with the eternal God, reading and studying his Word and making prayer a very high priority every day. Are you too busy for time with God? Is that what falls through the cracks when the schedule gets heavy?

If you’re too busy to spend time with God, you’re simply too busy. It’s my belief that we generally manage to do what we really want to do, so if knowing God is a passion of your heart, you will make time for personal time with God each day. It won’t just happen; you have to plan it and be disciplined about it.

So, these are the six questions that will help you determine if you are too busy, or you’re busy for the wrong reasons. In addition, there may be other things that are exacerbating your busyness which need to be addressed:

1. Poor time management.

If you’re not disciplined and wise in the management of your time, it could be you’re just    not organized well enough to get done what you should do. Here are some simple disciplines that will help you improve your time management:

• • Do first the thing you most don’t want to do.
  • Eliminate as many interruptions as possible.
  • Finish one job before you start another, if possible.
  • Always have a plan for your day. You may not be able to follow it exactly, but if you start with a plan, prioritizing your activities for the day, you’re much more likely to get things done faster and more orderly.

1. Procrastination

This is probably one of the main enemies of getting things done—putting off until later what could and should be done now. Procrastination will get you every time. One simple motto can help you overcome this very bad habit. Here it is:

• • “Do it right and do it now!” If there’s no good reason to put it off, you will realize great benefits from simply doing it right and doing it now.

1. Perfectionistic tendencies

Trying to do everything to total perfection is rarely necessary, often time consuming, and not worth the time and effort involved. Working with excellence is our standard, but total perfection can be a real pitfall—a time-consuming addiction that makes us feel good perhaps but doesn’t add needed value.

Here are two verses that give us some important guidelines for our busy lives:

1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my dear sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

John 15:4: “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.”

There is a tension in Scripture between abounding in the work God has given us to do while at the same time abiding in the vine, resting in the Lord, and finding rest for our souls. I think it is a tension we will struggle with until we are in heaven, in resurrected bodies, with endless time and perfect understanding. Until then, as we grow up in Jesus, we must begin to learn how to keep the tension at the right level.

I hope these thoughts on busyness will help you to answer the question: Am I too busy?

Presented by Lisa Bishop

I want to examine something essential for our spiritual lives and for fostering unity in our Christian community, and that’s abiding in Jesus.

Jesus himself gave us a key to unity in the body of Christ when he invited us to abide in him.

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 (John 15:4).

When we abide in Jesus we remain, we dwell, we stay connected to him. It’s not just about having a fleeting connection with Jesus. It’s about staying deeply rooted in him—having a continual, ongoing relationship where his presence and love permeate every part of our lives.

Unity in the community of believers flows from our connection to Jesus. In John 15:5, Jesus declares,

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 (John 15:5).

When we are rooted in Jesus, we are drawn together in a shared experience of his love, grace, and truth.

Think about it. If every individual Christian is abiding in Jesus, then we are all being shaped and transformed by him. We are being aligned with his heart, his will, and his purpose. This is the foundation of unity. When we stay close to Jesus, we’re not just growing individually; we’re growing together as one body in him.

When we abide in Jesus, we are spiritually nourished and empowered to live lives that reflect his character—lives marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

As you and I bear spiritual fruit, we contribute to the overall health and unity of the body of Christ that reflects the power of God.

In any community, there inevitably will be challenges and differences. But when we abide in Jesus, he gives us the grace to overcome division. His love and his truth unite us even in conflict. Unity in the body of Christ is not something we can manufacture on our own. It’s not about our efforts to get along with or to work things out in our own strength. True unity comes when we, as individuals and as a community, abide in him.

How are you abiding in Jesus? Spending time in God’s word and prayer are ways we stay connected and grow. And remember that prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. Create space for God to speak into your circumstances and relationships and to transform your life. When we take time to simply be still, practice gratitude, and praise him for who he is, we develop a stronger connection and sense of his presence. When we abide in Jesus, we not only benefit but his love binds us together in perfect unity.

Presented by Lisa Bishop

We’ve been examining ways we can foster unity in community. When the Bible calls us to be of one mind, unified in Christ, it does not mean we will always see eye to eye. But there are attitudes and behaviors we are called to display as we work toward a spirit of unity. Yesterday we talked about how to respond when we feel wronged. Rather than retaliate, pay people back with a blessing. That behavior in and of itself will show the world around us a better way and put the glory of God on display. Today I want to dive in a little deeper and talk about another essential aspect of seeking unity in community, and that is forgiveness.

In any community, especially one as diverse as the body of Christ, conflicts will arise. Differences in opinions, misunderstandings, and hurts will inevitably occur. But forgiveness is the glue that keeps unity intact.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

Forgiveness is at the very heart of the gospel.

Think about it—our sin against God is far greater than any offense we might face from another person. And yet, God, in his infinite mercy, sent his son, Jesus, to die for us while we were still his enemies. The forgiveness we offer is not based on whether others deserve it, but solely because Christ has forgiven us, even though we didn’t deserve it. When we forgive others, we mirror the heart of God, we release others from the debt we feel they owe us, extend the grace God has shown us, and we open the door for reconciliation and restoration.

Forgiveness is the means by which we break down walls of division and build bridges of peace. As a follower of Jesus, forgiveness is not an option, it is to be a regular practice in our lives.

Are there people with whom you were once in community but perhaps you experienced a riff and the falling out caused you to fall away from the friendship? If there is anyone in your life you may be harboring unforgiveness toward, can I encourage you to take the first step in making amends?

You know forgiveness is God’s idea, and it is a very big deal to him. If you are harboring any hurt or resentment, give it to God and ask him to help you get your heart in a posture of forgiveness. Extend the proverbial olive branch and do your part to clear up any division in your relationships. The enemy loves discord but as believers, we can’t afford to have divisions among us. We need each other.

Remember, the body of Christ is not made up of perfect people; it is made up of redeemed sinners like you and me who are bound together by the love of Jesus. And when we forgive one another, we strengthen that bond.

Presented by Lisa Bishop

I’m glad you have joined me today. This week we’re looking at attitudes and behaviors that foster unity in community. Community matters to God, and how we act toward one another is essential, as we carry out our calling as ambassadors of Jesus.

So today, let’s look at what 1 Peter 3:8-9 has to teach us about living out our oneness in Christ.

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:8-9).

When Peter says to be of one mind, he is not saying that we will agree on everything. He is implying a unity of aim and purpose. When we seek to live in unity with one another, it is a mindset and a heart set on honoring and glorifying Jesus with the way we conduct ourselves. We know our aim on this earth is to love and follow Jesus and to live out the great command to make disciples of all nations—to draw people to a saving relationship with Christ. And we cannot do that well if we do not love each other well.

We need to love one another, guard against a prideful attitude, and demonstrate humility; be compassionate toward one another and mindful to guard against all unnecessary contention. And perhaps Peter gives one of the most difficult challenges when he tells us to not repay evil for evil. It can be so easy to fight back when we feel offended or mistreated. Paybacks can feel good and justified in the moment, but revenge is an act of the flesh. It takes a lot of self-control and a working of the Holy Spirit to instead pay back with a blessing. And it’s not the southern expression, “Oh bless your heart” type of blessing that Peter is talking about, which is really no blessing at all. It’s instead truly wishing good for that person. I can say is not always my first inclination to heap blessings on people especially when I feel wronged, but when we genuinely bless people, it is a demonstration to the power of Christ working in us. We are no longer controlled by our earthly nature that wants to get even or counterattack.

We strongly heed the instruction of Galatians 5:16-17.

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17).

We bestow blessing because it is an act of obedience, it is what God has called us to do. And we know whenever God calls you and I to do something, he also equips and empowers us to carry it out. That is the power of the gospel at work in our lives. When we are so easily triggered and reactive, we fail to recognize that we can in fact instead be controlled by the Holy Spirit and allow him to help us with our actions and reactions. But it requires surrender. When you find yourself tempted to be reactionary and retaliate with your words when you feel wronged, take time to pause. Confess your feelings to the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to take control. When the fruit of the Spirit is evident in our lives, we show the world a better way and live out our purpose to point people to Jesus.

Presented by Lisa Bishop Unity is a powerful force, isn’t it? It strengthens relationships, enables us to accomplish more together, and most importantly, reflects the love and nature of God to the world around us. But unity is not something that just happens automatically. It requires intentional effort, humility, and a focus on our common purpose in Christ. I don’t know about you but when I think about the idea of unity, I automatically think it means agreement. But the truth is we will not always see eye to eye, think exactly alike, or have the same opinions. Yet, we can still be a community that puts the love of Jesus on display and lives in unity even when we disagree. And it’s not if we will disagree, it’s when. Ultimately, what matters is how we show up in the midst of our conflicts. Unity is an attitude of heart and is possible even when we see things from opposing perspectives. We need to be reminded as believers we are all united in Christ which unites us with one another. How we act towards each other matters. It’s critical to our witness as followers of Jesus. If we are backbiting, dissing, or speaking in disparaging ways toward others, especially fellow followers of Christ, we are giving the world a terrible representation of the gospel. As God’s image bearers we must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, show the world a higher and better way and point them to Christ by the way we act toward one another. Ephesians 4:29-32 gives us sound instruction on attitudes and behaviors to get rid of and pursue to work toward unity: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:29-32). If you were to take inventory of your words this past week, did they benefit those who heard them, or were they, as Paul says, unwholesome—meaning useless, rotten, or unfit for use? Do our words sow discord or harmony? It can be so easy, especially these days, to get riled up and let our flesh draw us into bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, and slander. But we must realize and resist the schemes of the enemy and instead be overpowered by the Holy Spirit. In order to be overpowered by the Spirit we need to be in tune with the Spirit, and we can only do that when we regularly spend time in God’s Word and meditate on scripture, which grows our ability to sense God’s presence, hear his voice, and follow his ways. And finally, let’s remember we grieve the Holy Spirit when we fail to maintain peace and harmony in the body of Christ so let’s instead follow Paul's words and choose to act in ways that create unity.