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Striving to Bear Fruit

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When Sarah Mae first spoke to me about writing the devotion here at Allume, I was excited. I’m still excited, but I’m nervous too. It seems like such a legitimate thing to write. To be entrusted to encourage you all in your devotion to the Lord.

I love this opportunity for all that it is, but for some reason it has felt weighty to me and somehow a little paralyzing.

Sure, your devotion to the Lord isn’t my responsibility, and if the depth of our devotion is narrowed to simply once a week, then that’s not all that devoted anyhow, is it?

As I prepare to write, I find myself reflecting on a song by Gungor called “Beautiful Things” that we sometimes sing at church. The words ring in my mind over and over as I learn to really remember them and live in the truth of them….

All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new
You are making me new

I think on the words in John 15:4-5 that say,

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

My friend and worship pastor, David Walker, recently said that “we live in a culture created to value fruitfulness over abiding in the vine.”

So often, and so easily, I think that we find ourselves striving to bear fruit. Striving to be devoted…to bring devotion to our children, to our circles. Striving…trying…making great concerted efforts to enact a passion for Jesus. And then we wonder why it seems so hard? Why we’re trying so hard and the fruitfulness is so hard to come?

We forget to abide. We forget to remain, continue, stay, dwell, and reside with Jesus. There’s no trying…the growth is in the being with Him.

He makes beautiful things out of us when we abide in Him. When we spend time with Him. When we commune with Him. HE makes us new.

And I find peace in that, and rest, and release.

I hope that this will be a place that draws you closer, as we don’t strive, but rather learn to abide in his glorious light more together.

I’d encourage you to quiet your mind, put on some music, and just ask him to come…to soak Him up like a sponge…to abide, and begin to see the ways he is making you new.

How do you find yourself striving for fruitfulness? When was the last time you spent time just soaking up more of Him, abiding in Him, resting in Him?

…

Photo Credit:  James Insogna

 

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Comments

  1.  Yes, yes.  That is a word for me this morning, consistent with what God has been impressing on my heart.  I am going to abide with Him now.  Thank you!

    • Abide away my friend! Check out that song…it’s a good one to kick off a quiet time of rest and soaking with Him!

    • Abide away my friend! Check out that song…it’s a good one to kick off a quiet time of rest and soaking with Him!

  2. What a lovely encouragement for my heart – and the quote by Mr. Walker is right on the mark.  We want the easy fruit – not the kind that only comes from abiding. Ouch.

     

    • It’s something I have to continuously remind myself, but the truth is that there’s really no easy fruit and it all emerges from seasons of change. It’s the abiding and drawing nourishment from the vine that produces the best fruit.

    • It’s something I have to continuously remind myself, but the truth is
      that there’s really no easy fruit and it all emerges from seasons of
      change. It’s the abiding and drawing nourishment from the vine that
      produces the best fruit.

  3. Beautiful thoughts, they chose well when they asked you to write for Allume.  I take a three mile walk down country roads a couple times a week – Turn on my ipod, call the dog and listen to God.

    • Diane, I am humbled and encouraged by your kind words. Thank you…and I’m envious of your country road walks…talk about a still and quiet place!

    • Diane, I am humbled and encouraged by your kind words. Thank you…and
      I’m envious of your country road walks…talk about a still and quiet
      place!

  4. I needed this encouragement and reminder badly today. Thank you for sharing these words.

    • Absolutely! Go grab you a Cadbury cream egg and sit before the Lord with some good tunes and a Bible….all that heaven at your fingertips will bring fruit for sure! 🙂

    • Absolutely! Go grab you a Cadbury cream egg and sit before the Lord
      with some good tunes and a Bible….all that heaven at your fingertips
      will bring fruit for sure!

  5. Great word. We just talked about that very thing last night at church. Except we talked about being a conduit…and how we need to remain plugged into the source.Usually the conduit is behind the wall, tucked away, it’s our time abiding…being strengthened. Thank you for confirming what God is whispering to my heart. 
    Kristin

    • I love that illustration of the conduit and have heard that one before as well. The thought that we’re plugged into the Kingdom and have the ability to electrify and illuminate the world around us is such a beautiful thought and a priviledge to be a part of…that He uses us never fails to amaze me! But it’s true…what happens behind the scenes is what causes the real change to occur!

    • I love that illustration of the conduit and have heard that one before
      as well. The thought that we’re plugged into the Kingdom and have the
      ability to electrify and illuminate the world around us is such a
      beautiful thought and a priviledge to be a part of…that He uses us never
      fails to amaze me! But it’s true…what happens behind the scenes is
      what causes the real change to occur!

  6. Wonderful devotion to start a Monday with. Abiding in him even when things around us distract…something I need to work on a little better. 🙂

    • Those still moments are hard to come by even when we intentionally create them, but man…when I still the distraction and get by myself with Him, he never fails to show up in a big way!

    • Those still moments are hard to come by even when we intentionally
      create them, but man…when I still the distraction and get by myself with
      Him, he never fails to show up in a big way!

  7. Beautiful Logan! This so confirmed a work that God is doing in my heart showing me that He IS the fruit of the Spirit.  He is love, He is kind…  So, abiding in Him is where the fruit of the Spirit is produced in us. It’s Him in us. Like you said: we can rest in that and lay down the trying. Love it!

    • It’s all that trying that is exhausting too.  The whole “Be Still” concept is where the Lord really gets in my face…and with kids and busy life zooming past us all day long…it’s hard to get still and quiet, and just abide…just be.

  8. I am very excited for this!  I write about being the mom of pre-teen girls, homemaking and homeschooling 🙂  I write a blog, so anything about writing blog posts that inspire or make people think or encourage comments would be appreciated!

  9. Beautiful Logan. We spend far too much energy on doing rather than just being….Lovely Logan. Looking forward to your next post.

  10. This was encouraging – thank you!  Soaking up and abiding.  That is what I am focusing on in my personal devotions this year.  I am reading through the Bible chronologically (with Joni Eareckson Tada and friends), and just taking the time to read  and immerse myself in God’s Word.  In the fall of 2010 and most of 2011 I physically wasn’t able to do much reading, and I was rarely able to make it to church.  I’m feeling dry now, and this is now my season to abide and soak up God’s Word.

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