The Why Behind Abide in Him Daily

At the beginning of last year, the Lord led me to ponder, reflect, and immerse myself in John 15:1-17.

I have been walking with Jesus for 31 years. It has been an amazing journey — just getting to know Him more and more each day, being led by and through Him to become what He has called me to be.

I am a person who is driven. I want my life to count. But this very drive pushes you to work hard, to perform, to do whatever it takes to be all that God wants you to be. And somewhere along the way — whether you’re serving in ministry, raising a family, building a career, or simply trying to live a faithful life — that drive quietly shifts. Without realising it, you move from following Jesus to performing for Him.

It was in that place — when I had done everything I knew to do and still felt the gap — that the Lord got my attention and drew me into a deep soul search through John 15.

Looking back at that paragraph, I notice something. There is a lot of “I” in it. And very little of what Christian living is actually about.

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Jesus didn’t ask much of us — if you really think about it.

He said a few things that help me understand how I can be part of the fulfilment of God’s plan in my life, within the grand scheme of His Kingdom.

First, He said this:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” — Luke 9:23 (NIV)

Isn’t that straightforward?

If I want to be Jesus’ disciple, I need to deny myself — bend that simple “I” — take up my cross daily, and follow Him. Jesus says nothing here about working harder, or doing more, or producing results for Him. He is not saying do more and more and more, and then you will be my disciple.

He is simply saying: deny those very ideas of works, approvals, and accomplishments through your own doing. Follow Me. Daily.

Maybe you recognise this feeling. The exhaustion of trying to be a good enough Christian. The quiet guilt when your quiet time slips. The sense that God is waiting for you to do more before He can truly use you. The performance. The striving. The weight of it.

That was me.

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And then comes John 15.

When you see Luke 9:23 and John 15 together, it all makes sense.

When the Lord reminded me that there is only one way to bear fruit, I knew I had drifted. I had been carried along by my own doing — striving to see results through my effort, my plans, my faithfulness. And I was tired.

I was in a place of deep dissatisfaction. A discontentment with my Christian living that I couldn’t explain. And when God spoke to me through John 15, I felt something release. A weight lifted. It was like being freed from a captivity I hadn’t fully realised I was in.

How long can any of us perform in our own strength before we find it leads to nothing?

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This is why I built this platform.

Abide in Him Daily exists to remind anyone who truly wants to be a disciple of Jesus — who truly wants to follow Him by denying self — that the only path Jesus gives us is found right here:

“Abide in Me, and let My words abide in you. Then you will bear much fruit.” — John 15:5 (NIV)

You don’t need to do more. You need to abide more.

Starting tomorrow, we begin a journey through John 15:1-17 — 17 devotionals, one verse at a time. Not a commentary. Not a study. A daily, quiet sitting with Jesus and His words, allowing them to do what only they can do.

I’m not writing these because I have it all figured out. I’m writing them because I need them too.

Let’s abide together. 🙏

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Prayer

Father, take me on this journey to truly understand how to be a disciple who bears much fruit for Your glory — by abiding in the Vine and letting You have Your way in me. Amen.

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Prasad
Abide in Him Daily