4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
-John 15:4-8 NIV
Results. We want results. We want to hit our quarterly goals. We want the bottom line to show a greater profit than the year before. We want to lose weight after joining the gym. We want the program to work. We want the habits we choose today to lead to the outcomes we are hoping for, both personally and professionally. We want results.
We often associate hard work with results. We need to do more to get more. And though there is biblical truth to this type of causation (for example, we reap what we first sow), Jesus didn’t tell his disciples that they would bear fruit by their own blood, sweat and tears. Instead, He invited them to remain in Him. To abide in Him. In a world demanding results, Jesus calls us to abide.
Are there places in your life where you are trying to produce without abiding? It would be quite strange to expect a branch that has been disconnected from its vine to live, let alone bear fruit. Often though, we assume that we can produce apart from a dependence on Jesus. When Jesus becomes our life source, when we spend time with Him daily, when we rely on His grace and His power, when we seek His direction… we see results. And not just any results. We see results that bring God glory.
Today, quietly examine your heart. Where in your life are you depending more on your own strength than relying on Jesus? In what ways are you striving apart from Jesus’ grace, power, and direction? And how can you stop striving and instead start abiding? How can you seek Jesus and remain in Him?
God’s desire is for you to live united with Christ, and from that place of intimacy and connection, to bear good fruit in abundance. That’s the kind of results our world needs.
*Want to develop the life-changing habit of reading your BIble and praying every day? Or are you looking to create more intentional space to get away from all the noise and hear God speaking to you? Learn more about the Seek First Journal and buy yours here.