Abiding in Jesus means having faith that God is at work even in horrible circumstances. We can be a “yes” to all that is in God and to each circumstance and person who comes into our lives. We can look at all environments, events and people as coming through God’s hands so we can serve Him.

This is the “good” that all things work for as mentioned in Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Acceptance of this makes our most difficult roles in life less depleting and exhausting. It’s challenging to accept the reality of circumstances and not argue in our minds that they should be different. But it is possible and makes all the difference.

This is not the same as being happy in sad situations. We cannot pretend everything is fine, because our minds know it’s not. We do have to accept that everything is not fine, and that it is impossible for us to change. This allows us to offer more empathy without draining excessive energy.

We are not in heaven yet, and bad things happen in a fallen world. God is still present and wants to abide in us. The joy of the Lord is our strength.