In The Vine

I have had many opportunities in my life to wonder whether or not Jesus is real. But, I've had even more opportunities to see him at work in my life, and the life of others, so I have come to a place of total belief and trust in him. However, this place of trust didn't just happen overnight. In fact, it's still being developed every day. I don't think I will ever "arrive" at a perfect place of trust because every day brings new challenges, new reasons to doubt, new reasons to wonder about life and my purpose here. Trusting Jesus doesn't just happen magically. It happens by our own choosing.

Every day we have an opportunity to trust Jesus, or not. We decide. We choose which voice we're going to listen to, and who we're going to trust when we're up against a wall. We have a choice between putting our trust in Jesus, ourselves, or someone else. We have a choice to believe what Jesus says about us, what the enemy whispers in our ear, or even what we say negatively about ourselves. Unfortunately, trust building usually requires suffering of some kind. If we never suffered or faced difficulties, we would have no need of a Savior. If we could do it all on our own and save ourselves, then there would have been no need for Jesus to go the cross.

As much as I don't like suffering, I do like what it's producing in my life. I'm starting to see the fruits of putting my trust completely in Jesus. I'm seeing the effects of remaining in Jesus, and him remaining in me.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 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.

“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.  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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

He wasn't kidding when he said, "Apart from me you can do nothing." I've tried doing life in my own strength. I've tried it "off the vine" so to speak. Not only does it not work, but it's very painful. We must remain in the vine if we are to make it through this life with our minds, bodies, and souls in tact. And not just in tact, but living abundant and fruitful lives! And able to share the love of Jesus with the world! We must trust the true vine (Jesus) and the gardener (God) to do their most excellent work in our lives. Pruning hurts, but it's purpose is to promote growth. I'd rather endure the temporary pain of being pruned than choose to live apart from the vine and become a dried up withered branch that gets thrown into the fire and burned.

Everything I've gone through, everything I'm going through, and everything I'm going to go through in the future is already known by the Master Gardener. He knows what must be pruned in order for His will to be done in my life. I trust every day that he is in control even when, in my flesh, I feel like my whole world is out of control. That's why I said that trust is a continual process. 

I've been reading Sheila Walsh's new book, "The Storm Inside." It's been amazing so far. I highly recommend it. In the first chapter, she talks a lot about disappointment. Not just disappointment in people, but feeling disappointed with God. She said a few things that really stuck out to me and I'll leave you with them...

"Truth is like a lighthouse on a stormy, pitch-black night that steers us clear of the feelings that would wreck us."

"While walking through a dark season, if we attempt to navigate our lives by what we feel, we will run aground onto the rocks. We must navigate by what we know is true no matter what we feel."

"My emotions can change in a moment, but God's Word is rock solid, so I am learning to drag my emotions in line with what is always true, not just what might feel true for a moment." 

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. ~ Romans 5:3-5