Today, I started the day late. Like, 2 hours late. I went to work where I was playing catch up all day, (still didn’t catch up), but I lost track of time and worked far later than expected.

That’s when it hit me that I didn’t have time to do everything. I had to work out, (I’m on a health journey), I had music lessons, (I’m learning guitar), I had Spanish lessons, (I’m learning a second language), I needed to water the garden, (no sprinklers so I have to do it by hand)…

And then? Ah! I didn’t set aside any extra time to spend with the Lord today. I didn’t read any today yet, I haven’t prayed as I should, and oh yeah! I still have to write a blog post.

I felt time slipping and it seemed like every time I looked at the clock it was like it was speeding up.

Welcome to life as a believer! lol. If anyone told you that all of your problems will go away, they lied.

In my faith walk I’ve found that life still happens, but you know what I’m not doing? I’m not stressing out, I’m not worrying, and I’m not anxious.

In fact, even though my day is hectic and I’ll be up late working and catching up, my day is actually easier because I’m not alone.

In yesterday’s post I talk about entering a relationship with God and I spent some time talking about the Holy Spirit, and His many roles.

I’ve found that my day goes by a lot easier because He’s with me, and I’m not stressing out about missing time with God because I’m always spending time with God.

A lot of believers tend to meet up with God on Sundays, or Wednesday nights, but the truth is that while those are great, it’s during the week that we need God the most.

A not-so-common term I learned years ago is shoebox living.

If you buy a new pair of shoes they come in a new box, right? Well, a lot of Christians tend to live out their faith like the pair of dress or designer shoes – they put it on and take it off for special occasions. They go to church on Sunday mornings, or the Wednesday night groups… maybe even the special church event on the odd day.

But in reality, we’re more like the shoebox. We have this new life inside of us and it’s shiny and new, but on the outside, we still have to live outside of church, and groups, and special events. We still have to get up and go to work, pay bills, put up with coworkers we don’t like – sit in traffic. Ugh!

So how do you live in the shoebox of life? It’s simple actually, and I’ve already hinted at it.

We’re supposed to abide in Christ. I’ll take the time to write these verses out.

John 15:4-5 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:7 – “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.“

1 John 2:28 – “And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.“

1 John 4:13 – “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 – “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.“

To abide means that you continue in whatever it is; you keep doing it. You hang out there, you live there, you sit in it and you soak up the surrounding.

That’s how you’re supposed to live life as a believer.

What it means is, when you do go to church on Sundays, and Wednesdays, and the special meetings, it’s not to meet with Christ that week. You should already be with Him all week long.

Prayer, isn’t ritual. It’s meaningful, relational communication with God. So as you’re going about your day, you should be talking to God. Asking His opinion, seeking His input, meditating on the Word, giving Him praise, thanking Him…

In other words, you should be building a relationship with Him. And don’t be too surprised when you feel the Spirit moving and God starts working in your life.

Now, today’s scripture is 2 Peter.

When Peter wrote this letter, he knew he was going to die soon, and his main concern was that the church would forget the teachings of Jesus Christ and be led astray into false teachings.

He gave warnings about abiding in scripture and rejecting scripture, because even then, even while the disciples and apostles were still alive, there were those who were trying to discredit Paul, just because they didn’t like what he had to say, or couldn’t understand what he wrote.

If I were to pass on a lesson, it would be the same as I have been – stay in the Word. Abide in the Spirit.

Don’t let the only time you meet with God be like new shoes, but rather let it be like the shoebox.