I've had an obsession of sorts lately. I chose the word obsession purposely. I understand its negative connotation for the Christian.  To be honest, it is exactly what it sounds like. I have been seeking in a most earnest manner ways to abide in Christ .  That doesn't make sense does it? Seeking to abide? Working hard to simply live in Jesus? Yes and to make it worse, instead of rest, I have been overwhelmed and stressed. I can't read enough, pray enough, meditate enough, teach enough, give enough, do enough and so on.  My mind is aware that He is in control, but there was a disconnect. Primarily it was the abiding part.

I don't know how many of you are like me. I felt that so much depended on my own personal movement and positioning. I believed that God could only work through me in the ways I purposely afforded Him. I minimized the sovereign God to limitations I felt were reasonable because of my own personal limitations. To simplify, I made God in my image instead of resting in God in His own image.

As a dad and a husband, there is so much of a need for focused time to be spent on others in our home.  Beyond that, I am called to spread the gospel and do things for widows and orphans, the homeless, and other brothers. Learning how to divide the extra time I have while also feeding myself to serve all of those entities, it can become cumbersome and seem to be totally unattainable. Maybe that is because it actually is.

I am learning to rest. I have been for about a year now.  I'm not a whole lot better at it, but God has done some noticeable work.  This is partly why you have not seen any new music from me in awhile and probably won't see a project in the next few months.  

I would like to hear from those of you who might have the same struggle. I want to hear about your successes and failures. Mostly, I want to hear the stories of how God has worked in your life.  Tweet responses to @IamMikeStrong and use the hashtag #ABIDE

I'll RT some!

God bless and may He bless and keep you!