Surviving Versus Abiding

I asked a friend how she was doing today and she said, "Oh, I'm surviving. I'm getting by." I thought nothing of it at the time except that she was under some stress and needed a friend. After our conversation, I thought more about that word: Surviving.

It means to endure or live through. To remain alive after a loss. To continue in existence. Exist means: To achieve the basic needs to have life.

What a tough way to live. I'm guilty of having a mindset of surviving, too, from time to time. Because Christ lives in us, we don't have to simply survive our lives; we can abide in our lives.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. - 1 John 4:13

Abide means: To continue to be present. To wait for, await one, not to depart. To be held, kept continually.

Present means: Existing, being there. It means actively living.

We were born again into a new life where we don't merely have to survive difficult circumstances. Instead, we are free to abide in those same circumstances! There is such hope in that word! We continue to be present, active participants, in our lives, waiting for the One who is our source of hope! We don't have to simply wait for the clock to tick off one more day, one more year, one more decade getting us closer to heaven. We can take comfort in knowing He is holding us, continually keeping us and will never depart. Ah, the hope there is in that thought!