Christianity is not being grateful for the life that Jesus gives us; it is being grateful for the life He lives in us. Every Christian is in union with Christ. We were born that way. Galatians 2:20 is a description of the Christian life, not just a description of Paul’s personal experience at the time he wrote the letter to the Galatians. The New Creation that you are in Christ can be defined by these words, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” This is the gospel, the good news of God. This is true about every one of us, even if it’s not the truth about your personal experience. The good news about the good news is if this is true, the truth surrendered to in faith sets us free and to the experience of the life of Christ being lived through us. Experience simply waits for us to embrace and believe.
Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk in union (“union” is a better translation of the Hebrew word “together”) unless they are in agreement.”
Even though every believer is in union with Christ, every believer doesn’t abide in Christ. In simplicity, to “abide in Christ” is to live in full agreement with His will and affections. Colossians 3:3 says that “Christ is our life,” and therefore having been crucified with Christ, it is no longer we who live. We have to come into agreement with that reality and surrender to the fact, step-by-step that our story now belongs to Him, and our adequacy comes from Him. Thanking Him step-by-step for what He brings into our moments and what He takes away, trusting that He will be more than big enough for whatever, is the abiding life.