"Therefore, Christian, Abide in Christ; Do it now."

I'm not sure I can yet completely untangle the thoughts in my head, but, as I have learned from our current 1st Grade studies, you retain better what you have to narrate back. So I am going to make the effort.

As I've been pondering grabbing hold of grace on a day to day basis, today Murray offered the best way to learn to abide in Christ was just to do it. Every moment, as it comes to mind, as you find yourself with a moment for clear thought, as you find yourself struggling with sin, as you are not struggling but have already dove in head first; stop and say in your heart, "I abide in You." Over and over again, practice this rest and preach this truth to yourself. Because we know, that if you are a Christian, you do abide: that is the very crux of salvation, Christ has rescued you from the pit and tucked you under His protective wing. Nothing you do keeps you there, but also nothing can separate you from His love and protection. You might not be living like you are abiding, but that place of rest is waiting for you to claim it. And it is a gift, pure grace that, even in the midst of sin you can stop and confess and return. You don't have to fix it first, only admit that it needs to be fixed, that you need to be fixed, and He will do the work.

And so,I have been begging for self-control and I keep thinking of "the fruit of the Spirit is....self-control." So I wonder, how does one take hold of this "fruit of the Spirit"? This morning I read where Christ says "Abide in me.I am the vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can bear no fruit." And I feel silly. He literally has to spell it out for me. How do I bear fruit? Abide in Him. Not try harder, not do and say the right things for longer this time. Abide. Rest. Let the Vine support my every need even while the Gardener does the pruning needed. I love direct answers.