Jesus, May We Abide
Communion, Inclusion, and Shared Healing
A personal reflection and gentle practice by G. Ross Clark
When “I” Opens into “We”
The personal prayer “Jesus, may I abide” helps Ross return gently to presence.
The shared prayer “Jesus, may we abide” adds communion. It can include Jesus and Ross, Ross and his inner parts, loved ones, family, and all who suffer.
This page explores how the word we can soften isolation without erasing personal experience.
From “I” to “We”: Communion, Inclusion, and Healing
Both phrases are wise, but they create different inner movements:
“Jesus, may I abide.”
A personal prayer of permission, presence, and return.
“Jesus, may we abide.”
A relational prayer of communion, inclusion, and belonging.
“Jesus, may we abide.”
This is the more spacious and unifying prayer.
The word we can include:
- Jesus and Ross in relationship;
- Ross and the frightened or frozen parts within him;
- Ross and the people he loves;
- Ross and all beings who are suffering.
Its strength is that it softens isolation. Instead of saying, “I must find my way back,” it suggests:
“We are here together.”
It may feel especially healing when loneliness, separation, abandonment, or inner division is present.
Spiritually, it carries a sense of communion:
“Jesus, may none of us be left outside of Your presence.”
One possible ambiguity is that we does not specify exactly who is included. That is not necessarily a weakness. Sometimes the openness is part of its beauty. At other times, consciously naming who “we” means may deepen the prayer:
- “Jesus, may You and I abide together.”
- “Jesus, may Ross and this frightened part abide with You.”
- “Jesus, may we all abide in Your Love.”
“Jesus, may we abide with …”
This form is more grounded and emotionally specific.
- “Jesus, may we abide with this fear.”
- “Jesus, may we abide with this sadness.”
- “Jesus, may we abide with Frozen Ross.”
- “Jesus, may we abide with what is here.”
The word with communicates companionship rather than removal. It says that the emotion or experience does not first have to disappear before relationship with Jesus becomes possible.
This can be psychologically wise because it reduces inner rejection. Fear is not treated as an enemy. Despair is not expelled from the prayer. The suffering is brought into the relationship.
“Jesus, may we remain present together, without abandoning this difficult experience.”
The Principal Difference
“Jesus, may we abide” emphasizes communion and belonging.
“Jesus, may we abide with …” emphasizes loving presence with a particular experience.
The first is open and contemplative. The second is relational and healing-focused.
A Grammatical and Spiritual Refinement
In Christian language, abiding in Jesus usually expresses the deepest spiritual relationship:
“Jesus, may we abide in You.”
By contrast, abiding with fear means remaining compassionately present to the fear:
“Jesus, may we abide in You with this fear.”
This combined form may be the clearest and most complete:
“Jesus, may we abide in You, with what is here.”
It contains three relationships:
- Jesus — the One being addressed;
- In You — the spiritual home or ground;
- With what is here — the experience being welcomed.
The prayer does not make suffering the place where you abide. You abide in Jesus, while remaining compassionately with the suffering.
Comparing Several Forms
| Prayer | Main quality | Most helpful when |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus, may I abide. | Personal permission | You need a simple return to presence |
| Jesus, may we abide. | Communion and inclusion | You feel alone or internally divided |
| Jesus, may we abide with this fear. | Shared compassionate presence | A specific emotion needs companionship |
| Jesus, may we abide in You. | Spiritual union and surrender | You want to rest directly in Jesus |
| Jesus, may we abide in You with this fear. | Union plus emotional healing | You want to include suffering without being defined by it |
| Jesus, may we abide in You with what is. | Spacious acceptance | Several emotions or sensations are present together |
Who Might “We” Represent?
The meaning can change naturally according to the need of the moment.
Jesus and Ross
“Jesus, may we abide together.”
This emphasizes relationship and companionship.
Ross and His Inner Parts
“Jesus, may we abide with Frozen Ross.”
Here we can mean your adult, compassionate presence together with Jesus. Frozen Ross is not pushed away; he is included within relationship.
Ross and His Family
“Jesus, may we abide in Your Love with one another.”
This may be useful when praying about family pain, distance, misunderstanding, or conflict.
All Who Suffer
“Jesus, may we abide in Your compassion with all who are hurting.”
This transforms personal suffering into shared prayer without dismissing your own needs.
One Important Caution
“May we abide with despair” should not mean becoming submerged in despair or remaining passively trapped in it.
Healthy abiding includes:
- staying connected with Jesus;
- noticing the emotion without becoming identical to it;
- listening for what the body needs;
- allowing gentle movement, rest, or support;
- knowing when practical, medical, pastoral, or professional help is needed.
During very deep despair, this wording may offer more balance:
“Jesus, may we abide in You while this despair is here.”
The word while makes clear that despair is a present experience occurring within a larger relationship. Jesus—not despair—is the abiding ground.
Strongest Recommendations
For morning frozen states:
“Jesus, may we abide in You, with what is here.”
For a frightened inner part:
“Jesus, may we abide with Frozen Ross in Your Love.”
For deep despair:
“Jesus, may we remain in You while this despair is here.”
For the simplest prayer:
“Jesus, may we abide.”
“Jesus, may we abide” is a beautiful development of “Jesus, may I abide.” The word I gently restores personal presence. The word we gently restores relationship, inclusion, and belonging. Neither needs to replace the other. They can serve two different moments.
“I” brings Ross home.
“We” assures Ross that he does not come home alone.
A 60-Second Shared Abiding Practice
- Recognize: “There is loneliness,” “There is fear,” or “Something in Ross feels alone.”
- Include: Gently sense who the word we includes in this moment.
- Pray: “Jesus, may we abide in You, with what is here.”
- Pause: Let the prayer be received rather than immediately repeated.
- Bless: “May none of us be left outside of Love.”
Healthy shared abiding does not merge Ross with suffering. It allows Ross, Jesus, and the suffering part to be held within one compassionate relationship.
Continue Through the Three Abiding Prayers
Personal Abiding
“Jesus, may I abide.”
For frozen waking, personal permission, embodied presence, and a gentle return.
Shared Abiding
“Jesus, may we abide.”
For communion, inclusion, inner parts, loved ones, and the healing of isolation.
Mutual Abiding
“Jesus, abide in me.”
For receiving Jesus, responding in faith, and entering mutual communion.
Related JesusAbiding.me Practices
- Being and Healing: The Abiding Anchor
- Morning Dread and Frozen Waking: IFS & Jesus
- Morning Despair, Pure Mind, and Granma Ross
LOVE is Everything — G. Ross Clark