Healing Hurt From a Broken HeartSample

Day 9: What Are You Abiding In? I heard a sermon by one of my favorite female preachers, Heather Lindsey. She referenced today’s scripture, and she gave a different perspective that I hadn’t thought about. She not only pointed out that we need to abide in God for God to abide in us, but she also said that whatever we abide in will abide in us. That really resonated in my spirit. It made me think about my own life, but it also made me think about you. Here are a couple of definitions of "abide" according to Dictionary.com: “to remain, continue; stay; to endure, sustain, or withstand without yielding or submitting.” During this season of heartache, in what are you abiding? In what are you submitting? Are you abiding in bitterness, anger, worry, doubt, or sadness? Are you remaining in these things, are you submitting to these things? Remember, whatever you abide in will abide in you, and whatever abides in you will produce fruit. So if you abide in God, you will produce Godly fruit, which is good fruit. However, if you abide in things not of God, they will produce fruit as well -- bad fruit. I understand that during this season, it’s hard not to abide in those negative emotions. You feel like it’s all or nothing. You have to be one way or the other, happy or sad. Truly, it’s not all or nothing. When negative emotions come up, I encourage you to feel them and work through them. It’s not a sin to feel them, but don’t abide in them. Feel them but don’t remain in them and continue with them. Don’t submit to them. That’s the difference. Abiding in God does not guarantee that you won’t feel negative emotions, but if you’re abiding in Him, you won’t be able to abide in those emotions at the same time. Abide in Him, Sis! Declare: When negative emotions arise, I will allow myself to feel them, but I will not remain in them; I will not submit to them. I will continue abiding in God, for I know bitterness, anger, and doubt cannot stand in the presence of God.