Chilling With Jesus

Chilling With Jesus Written by Daniel Ryan Day I’m an Enneagram 2 with a 3-wing. Translation = I’m a people-pleasing-helper with a drive to achieve. I work really hard to try and earn approval by either proving I’m “valuable” to someone or by convincing people that I get stuff done. And I’m not the only one. We are often defined by what we “achieve” and are “valuable” to our jobs or churches or even families based on performance. And it’s exhausting. But then we read Jesus’ words in John 15, and we discover a different—more freeing—way to be human. In many translations, you’ll find the word “abide” show up 11 times in that one chapter. The NIV translates it “remain,” but if that doesn’t help make it clear, consider the words “relax”, “rest”, or “chill.” Picture a hammock, not a hammer (unless you relax by hammering). Now this doesn’t mean we don’t “do” anything. In verse 10 Jesus says we should follow his instruction by “resting or remaining in his love,” and then he defines that “obedience” in verse 12 as being a conduit of that love to others. “My command is this: ‘Love each other as I have loved you.’” Not exactly a big list of “to-dos”, is it? Unfortunately, other people sometimes base their approval of us on what we “do” for them, but Jesus doesn’t. We don’t have to work hard to be accepted and worry if we’ll be rejected. We belong to God and the Father loves us just because we are his. And the only thing we are asked to “do” is to rest in God’s love and show that love to others. So for all of us people-pleasing-helpers out there with a drive to achieve, hear Jesus’ invitation to “chill” and “rest” in him.