Abiding in the Vine, a Definition
- Eljoh Hartzer, MTh
- Apr 28
- 6 min read
The concept of "abiding in the Vine", from John 15, is one of those more difficult ideas found in the teachings of Jesus. This blog post will explore what it means to abide in Christ, what that practically looks like for believers today, and invite you to tune into God's nearness in new ways.
If your daily life feels overwhelming, everything feels out of control, and you just can't catch a breath - the idea of abiding in the Vine holds the power to transform your whole life.
May you find space here to pause, reflect, and abide.
At the end of this article is a free printable worksheet to prayerfully dive deeper.
Navigate this blog post:
This blog post holds a collection of thoughts, verses, and testimonies to illustrate what it means to abide in the Vine. Here are the points we'll visit along the way:
How Abiding Finds You
Abiding is not really something that we can track as easily as some other spiritual disciplines that we find in the Word. I mean, you will know whether you practice Sabbath or not. But, whether or not you abided can be a bit less black and white...
In my experience, abiding finds you - you don't find it. It usually finds you when you've come to the end of yourself. It finds you, tired, exhausted, and ready to give up. Abiding finds you ready to surrender.
I came to the end of my rope in 2015 and I struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts to the point of breaking. Yet, in a moment where the enemy whispered that I should end it all, I heard another voice. It was not a condemnation or a sentencing: It was an invitation.
"But you haven't tried me"
The Lord spoke to me when I was at my weakest and invited me to abide, to lean on Him, to live in Him, to find my way through Him.
It's eleven years later as I'm writing this blog post and I am still blown away by the grace and compassion of Jesus daily. He is the Vine and I can lean on His everlasting arms -
I don't have to do it perfectly, have it all figured out, or know my next steps, because HE DOES.
Abiding will probably find you here as well. You might have reached the point where going on feels impossible. You might be tired of trying to get it right all the time. You might think there must be a reason why this faith thing does not seem to work for you.
So, let's move forward and consider what this metaphorical speak means. What does it really MEAN to abide in the Vine? Can we step beyond the "Christianese" and unpack the word?
Vine Creative Studio holds a collection of what I like to call 'encounter tools', resources connecting hearts with Jesus. You're welcome to try one out with my free Workbook on Living as a Wholehearted Follower.
What it Practically Looks Like
Abiding is not really so much an active word. We love turning faith into a tangible thing we can do; a box we can tick off, but that is so often not the case.
The word abide is similar to: stay, dwell, remain, lean on, be near to, home
If you abide in the Vine, in the context of John 15 (which we'll dive into below), it might practically look like this:
You live close to Jesus with a keen awareness of His presence and His plans.
You do not hustle, hurry, or rush ahead in your own strength, because you rely on Him.
You are not focused on what you can DO for Him, but how you can BE with Him.
Your relationship with Jesus is not defined by your "quiet time" but how you live in step with Him.
You do not have a strict distinction between Sunday and the rest of your week. (All of it is holy ground!)
Questions for Reflection / Journaling Prompts:
What might it look like for me to stay near Jesus and not run ahead?
Define the word dwell by using it in a sentence, then consider how it relates to abiding.
Write a poem-prayer based on the words "remain in Me"
I want to invite you to consider my contemplative guide booklet called 'Wholehearted' - In it you will learn how to live from this place of abiding in Christ.
John 15, reading deeper
Let's read what the Gospel of John, chapter 15, says about Abiding in the Vine (NIV).
“1I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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."
Jesus is the Vine
God tends to the Vine & prunes the branches (us) to bear fruit*
*Fruit = Fruit of the Spirit and good works for His glory
"3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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.5 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."
Our identity as a branch is to remain in Jesus
Without Jesus, we cannot do good things
"6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."
Trying to do good without Jesus, we will dry out (burnout)
If we stay near Jesus, we will know His will, and glorify God
"9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love."
Jesus loves those who stay connected to Him
How? Keep His commands + remind yourself of His love
Abiding in the Vine Lifestyle
Abiding is about more than a concept or something abstract - it's very real. It's a way of life.
The leading question is: How can I live from a place of abiding in Christ?
Personal Experience and Lessons from a Real Life Vineyard:
My husband, a winemaker, planted a few vines in our garden. At first, only the vines were planted in the new soil. After a while, (water, sun, time, and attention) the vines showed buds of bright green appearing on the seemingly dead brown woody structure. It was not long before branches sprouted out from the vines and stretched out in all directions, twirling wildly with energy and bright green leaves.
The branches have a mind of their own. When we trellis them up on the designated wire, they jump off again, bending in whichever direction they prefer with surprising strength and strong willpower.
Yet, my husband carefully prunes them so that they can stay near the vine and bear much fruit when the season comes. He patiently takes their stubborn arms and leads them back to the trellis and the vine where they can grow more healthily. And, the next day, he guides them back again.
The vineyard in our garden is still small compared to other more established vines on the farm. Those older vines have branches that have grown strong and they look exactly like the vine they started from - not green and flimsy like they did when they were young.
Our aim as disciples of Jesus is to spend time with Him, become like Him, stay near Him, make our home in Him, and never forget that we are His.
Living a lifestyle of abiding is not about how long you read your Bible or how much time you spent in prayer, it's about how your speech witnesses to His nearness, how your home welcomes His Holy Spirit, how your smile stems from knowing whose you are...
Abiding in the Vine is not a box to tick or something to mark off your to-do list. Abiding is a way of living where you pay close attention to God's presence.
He is already present. He is there. Are you paying attention?
Prayer
Dear Jesus in whom I abide, Would you enter my life, come inside? I want to stay near to You, even if it's all I do. For it is Your light I shine. May I always continue to abide in the Vine, Amen.
Your Invitation to Go Deeper
Go even deeper with this idea by using the free abide worksheet I made for you on this topic:
You can also read the following blog posts: How to Abide and How to Live Near Christ
P.S. If you enjoyed this article and would like to stay in touch, I want to invite you to join my newsletter by leaving your email below.
Comments