We’ve always needed Jesus. His words hold actual life in them. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. He is the vine. Connected to Him, we are sustained, energized and nourished.
REFRAMING OUR MINDSET
In order to grow and move forward in our lives, we must recognize the things that need to be pruned (removed). Much of this for us right now is unhealthy thinking. Unhealthy thoughts are founded in unhealthy beliefs. Unhealthy beliefs ultimately lead to unhealthy behaviors. It’s a vicious cycle. And it can suck the life out of us.
But when we identify and understand what we believe and why we believe it, we can make better choices that allow the Life and Truth of Scripture to energize us, nourish us and sustain us.
Read John 15:1-17. As you read, notice your reactions, your feelings, your body, your thoughts. What resonates? What rubs?
- Are you abiding with Jesus and seeing the fruit of that connection? If so, what hope does that bring you?
- Are you in need of pruning? Can you identify what needs to be cut off in order for you to grow and become healthier?
- What do your answers reveal about what you believe about God, Jesus and yourself?
- Do you see a connection with what you believe and how you live? How your beliefs affect your thoughts which affect your actions?
Give yourself permission to sit in this space. It’s a safe space. It’s just you and God. He already knows everything about you and loves you still. Rest in His love as you wrestle with anything that comes up you need to work through.
If you’d like to chat with me, please reply to this email and I’d be happy to set up a time to do that.
A PRAYER TO REMAIN IN JESUS
Lord Jesus, we confess there are times we fail to remain in You.
We know you hold LIFE in your hands, yet we think we can do it ourselves. We get confused. We get distracted. We get overwhelmed. And we forget that abiding with You is what gives us all we need, not just to survive, but thrive in this world.
You know all the joy and pain we hold, yet You do not remove Yourself from us. You ask us to move in closer. To make our connection tighter. So You can make us stronger.
We often don’t understand when we’re in the midst of a pruning season. We feel the pain and forget the purpose of the pain. The process that’s for our good, for our health. The process that allows for new growth and future generations.
Father God, thank you for loving us so much that you tenderly prune away what is killing us so we can live and bear fruit. Help us reframe what it looks like to remain in Jesus. In His name, amen.
RESOURCES
Margaret Feinberg has a beautiful book/workbook called Scouting the Divine: My Search for God in Wine, Wool, and Wild Honey.
I heard her talk on this back in 2010 and it changed my understanding of the Biblical text so much. It brought the ancient and modern worlds together in a beautiful way and I highly recommend checking this out. She also has videos where you can watch her speak on this topic. It’s fascinating!
