Abide: Returning to Rest, Trust, and God’s Presence

Chassidy
Jan 6
3 min read

Hey y’all,

It’s been a minute since I’ve written. My last blog was November 12th, and while the rest of November was steady, December… December was the real stretch. The kind of stretch where God takes you beyond what you thought you could endure and shows you parts of Himself you didn’t even know you needed to see.

December wasn’t loud. It wasn’t flashy. It was quiet, heavy at times, deeply refining, and incredibly intimate. It was a month where I learned how much I truly depend on God, not just in theory, but in real life. I watched Him move in ways I could have never orchestrated on my own. He spoke to me even when I wasn’t always sure if it was Him or if it was my flesh. And through it all, He remained faithful.

That season forced me to slow down and listen more closely. It stripped away my need to rush clarity, rush answers, and rush outcomes. It reminded me that God doesn’t need me to have it all figured out, He just needs me to stay close.

As I step into this new year, my word is abide.

Not hustle.Not strive.Not prove.Abide.

To abide means to remain. To stay. To dwell. To be rooted in God, not just when life is easy, but when it’s confusing, quiet, or uncomfortable. Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.” That verse has been sitting with me heavy. Because abiding isn’t about doing more for God—it’s about being with Him.

James 4:7–8 has also been anchoring me in this season: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” That’s what this season has been about for me, submission, nearness, and choosing God again and again, even when it’s uncomfortable or unclear.

Right now, I’m in a season where God is calling me into Sabbath. Real rest. Intentional rest. Not checking out, but checking in. Taking the next couple of weeks to pause, to breathe, to let Him nurture parts of me I didn’t even realize were depleted. He’s been so gentle with me, saying over and over again, “Just rest. I’ve got you.”

And honestly, that hasn’t always been easy for me. I’m used to being the strong one, the leader, the encourager, the one pouring out. But this season has reminded me that even the most faithful servants need to sit at the feet of Jesus and simply receive.

December stretched me. But it also strengthened me. It taught me that God’s voice becomes clearer when we’re willing to be still. That His hand is working even when things feel uncertain. That obedience sometimes looks like resting instead of pushing.

As I return to writing, I’m not coming back with all the answers. I’m coming back anchored. Rooted. Abiding.

This year, my prayer isn’t for more productivity, it’s for deeper presence. For closeness with God. For discernment. For peace. For a faith that’s steady even when life isn’t.

If you’re entering this year tired, stretched, or unsure of what’s next, I want to encourage you: you don’t have to rush. You don’t have to force clarity. You don’t have to prove anything. Just abide. Stay close. Rest in Him. Let Him nurture you in the ways only He can.

I’m grateful to be back here, sharing from a place of honesty and surrender. And if there’s one thing this season has taught me, it’s this: God does some of His best work when we stop striving and simply remain with Him.

Call to Action

As we step into this new season, I want to invite you to do three simple things this week:

Pause. Create intentional space for rest, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Draw near. Spend time with God without an agenda. Let Him speak, love, and lead.
Reflect. Ask yourself where God may be calling you to abide instead of strive.

If this resonated with you, I’d love for you to share it with someone who may need encouragement in this season, or leave a comment reflecting on what abiding looks like for you right now.