"Learning to Abide in Jesus" | May 31, 2026 | Eric Ward

What if the best summer of your life had nothing to do with exotic vacations, family reunions, or theme park adventures? What if the most incredible summer you could experience was one where you witnessed the Holy Spirit moving through you wherever you went?

This isn't a far-fetched fantasy. It's the reality available to every follower of Christ who learns one essential practice: abiding in Jesus.

The Spirit-Filled Summer

We often measure our summers by the activities we pack into those warm months. We remember the cruises, the road trips, the camping adventures, the family gatherings. These experiences are wonderful and valuable - times of rest, reconnection, and rejuvenation.

But imagine a different kind of summer story. Picture yourself at a family reunion where you pray for someone and watch relationships being mended in the name of Jesus. Envision being at a public pool when God prompts you to pray for a stranger who breaks down in tears, experiencing God's touch through you. Consider the possibility of someone at an amusement park receiving healing through your prayers.

This is what a spirit-filled summer looks like - a summer where you carry the power and presence of the Holy Spirit into every ordinary moment and watch God transform them into something extraordinary.

For believers, this reality is already available. As 1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Wherever we go, we carry His presence. The question isn't whether we have access to God's power - it's whether we're living like we believe it.

Making the Most of Every Opportunity

Ephesians 5:15-18 provides the framework for this kind of life: "Be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit."

In these dark days where people struggle for hope, are we bringing the Holy Spirit into that darkness? Are we asking God what He wants us to do? Are we opening our eyes to see the opportunities He places before us?

The key to experiencing this spirit-filled life isn't found in doing more activities or being busier. Paradoxically, it's found in slowing down.

The Secret: Remain in Me

Jesus gave us the blueprint in John 15:4-5: "Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing."

Remain. Abide. Dwell.

This means being constantly attached to Jesus, depending on Him, trusting Him, seeking Him, and following Him above everything else. It means Jesus is truly the center of your life - not just a part of it, but the core around which everything else revolves.

The Tale of Two Sisters

The story of Mary and Martha perfectly illustrates this principle. When Jesus visited their home, Martha busied herself with preparations - cooking, cleaning, organizing the dinner party. She was doing good things, important things even. But she was distracted.

Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus' feet, absorbing every word He spoke. She had tunnel vision for the Savior. This same Mary would later pour expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and wipe them with her hair - a demonstration of complete devotion and surrender.

When Martha complained about her sister's inactivity, Jesus gently corrected her: "Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details. There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."

How often do we live like Martha? The summer comes, and we're consumed with vacation planning, family cookouts, sports schedules, and home projects. We're preoccupied with our agenda, our desires, above abiding and focusing on the Lord.

The Fruitless Life

The consequences of failing to abide are sobering. The book of Haggai describes the Israelites who returned from exile with a mission to rebuild God's temple. Instead, they got distracted building their own homes and pursuing their own priorities.

God's message through the prophet was stark: "Look at what's happening to you. You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put clothes on but you cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes."

They were living fruitless lives because they weren't abiding in God. Their efforts produced nothing of lasting value because they had severed themselves from the source of life.

As Jesus said, "Apart from me, you can do nothing."

Five Practical Ways to Abide

So how do we practically slow down and remain in Jesus in this frantic world? Here are five foundational practices:

1. Spend Time in the Word

This is foundational. God speaks primarily through Scripture. When you're praying for someone, the Holy Spirit often brings specific verses to mind at just the right moment. Start with three days a week if daily feels overwhelming. Join a Bible study for accountability. Start a family devotional.

2. Go on Slow Nature Walks

In our buzzing, noisy world, walking in nature provides space to connect with the Creator. Looking at the beauty of creation stirs gratitude and opens our hearts to God's presence.

3. Practice Contemplative Prayer

This involves experiencing silence - no music, no TV, just quiet. Jesus regularly retreated to silence. Practices like centering prayer, Lectio Divina, prayer of the heart, and prayer of examination help us strengthen our bond with God through intentional stillness.

4. Engage with Worship Music

Listen, sing, and if you're gifted, play worship music. These moments of worship create connection and help us abide in Jesus' presence.

5. Seek Direction from God

Start each day with the posture of the prophet Samuel: "Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening." Ask God what He wants you to do. Throughout the day, continue asking: "Lord, what are you doing here? Open my eyes."

When We Listen, God Moves

What happens when we actually practice this? Remarkable things.

Consider the story of someone taking their daughter to get a tattoo. The plan was simple: drop her off and leave. But a gentle nudging prompted them to stay. That nudging led to conversation with the tattoo artist. The conversation opened up discussions about her life struggles. The prompting continued: pray for her.

What seemed awkward became beautiful. The artist eagerly accepted prayer, tears flowing as the weight she carried lifted. She experienced the love of Jesus in a tattoo parlor because someone was willing to ask, "Lord, what are you doing here?"

Or think of youth who started their day in silence, asking God to speak. They received visions of specific people - what they'd be wearing, what they'd be struggling with. When they went out into the community, they found those exact people and prayed for them. One vision described a girl in a red halter top and black jeans struggling with depression. They found her. She broke down crying, confirming the struggle, and received prayer.

This is what a spirit-filled summer looks like.

Your Invitation

The best summer ever isn't about where you go or what you do. It's about who you're with and whether you're paying attention to what He's doing.

You don't need years of spiritual maturity to experience this. You simply need willingness. Willingness to slow down. Willingness to abide. Willingness to say, "Yes, Lord. I want to get better at remaining in you."

Start today. Choose one practice. Spend time in the Word. Take a quiet walk. Sit in silence for five minutes. Ask God to speak.

The Holy Spirit is already in you if you're a believer. The power is already there. The only question is whether you'll create the space to experience it.

This summer, choose to abide. Watch what God does when you remain connected to the vine. The fruit that grows from that connection will make this the best summer ever - not because of what you accomplish, but because of what God does through you.