Fruitful or Fruitless?

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Ever feel like nothing you try works? Like you can barely function? I've been there, and ore than once. I'm sure most people have. Then of course, there are the times, although they seem less frequent, where everything I touch just works better. Being honest, I usually get pretty cocky when the latter happens and blame the former on God. But I have it backwards.

During those times when nothing seems to go right, it may be because I'm doing things in my own power. Trying to grab fruit from other sources, and they are bruised or rotten. It's not God's fault that I'm not producing, because I'm also not abiding. I need to abide in Him to produce the fruit.

When I'm feeling all important and proud of myself, I need to stop! Those mountain top experiences aren't because I'm such a great climber, and besides I'm scared of climbing (not of heights but of falling). I didn't get myself up there, and I can't keep myself producing either. It came from abiding in Him, but look how quickly I made it about me! Not only do I need to abide in Him, but I need to live in gratefulness to Him.

The Bible also makes it clear that there is a time for everything, including a time to reap and a time to sow. Abiding in Christ does not mean there will always be an abundant amount of fruit. Sometimes the fruit must go to seed, bud, and flower before it is fruit again. Just because you feel fruitless doesn't mean you aren't abiding in Christ. There is a difference in abiding and waiting for fruit, and trying to produce fruit in your own power. The key to knowing the difference? Contemplate who you are abiding in, in Christ you'll find peace and in yourself you'll finding striving.