The Quiet Garden of the Soul

“Abide in me, and I in you.”

— John 15:4

Growth in the kingdom of God doesn’t come through striving. It comes through abiding.

In John 15, Jesus doesn’t ask us to produce, prove, or push forward. He invites us to stay close. To remain rooted in Him. To dwell—like a garden tucked beneath the sun, nourished by presence rather than pressure.

Abiding doesn’t look loud. It’s not always full of activity or answers. Sometimes it’s found in returning to prayer, opening the Word without an agenda, or sitting in silence and letting God be enough.

You don’t have to bloom to be beloved. You don’t have to feel fruitful to be faithful.

Abiding is enough. And that’s where growth begins.

Grace Notes

This month, I’ve found myself needing stillness more than structure. I’ve wanted direction, but God has been offering presence. And in that gentle space, I’ve remembered: abiding is not inactivity—it’s intimacy.