Life is not about work, productivity, or success. It's about presence. I'm sure you've heard this statement, or even something similar to it. There are even books written about the importance of presence. But we are supposed to produce fruit. Jesus promises that if we abide in Him and let God (our gardener) prune us and nourish us, we will bear good fruit (John 15:5). So, which is it, productivity or presence? I think it's both. Being present in our day and with the Lord is essential to produce anything good.
In my mind, I've equated productivity to purpose, as many of us have. Casting aside rest and meditation, stillness and gratitude, is a way to have more time to be productive, because that's where our purpose lies. But this is false.
I struggle so often with trying to live perfectly. Living with purpose and intentionality are honorable traits. They aren't prevalent today, but for me, it's easy to turn these traits into another vessel for perfectionism. Wanting to live every moment with purpose and intentionality is a positive thing, but it doesn't safeguard me from the bruises and wounds that living delivers.
It is so difficult for us to slow down and be with God because the world tells us to hurry. I've discovered that I have created a belief that says, "the more I can cram into one day, the better." Can you relate? I have to fight against the tendency to do as much as humanly possible in a day/a week.
My mood turns sour when I feel I've not completed enough tasks for the day. For years, when I get ready for bed, my thoughts turn to all that didn't get done today.
When I realized my bedtime routine included negative self-talk, I knew I had to stop that habit. It wasn't a habit I chose. It was one that the enemy conditioned me into and deceived me into thinking it was a good idea to take inventory of my day. Being mindful is an excellent practice, but being cruel to yourself is not a spiritual discipline.
I've been a perfectionist since I could walk and talk. Obviously, not everyone has this affliction. At the other end of the spectrum, some people never take inventory of their lives and how their time is spent. Neither extreme is fruitful.
Knowing God
The best any of us can do is open ourselves up to the work of the Holy Spirit. Let Him correct, encourage, and transform us. This doesn't mean we're off the hook, though. Spiritual disciplines are essential for an active, ongoing relationship with God. For example, we cannot have a good relationship with our spouse if we never talk to them. If we do speak to them but never listen to them, I guarantee they do not feel loved, and the relationship is unhealthy.
Another example is the relationship we have with our kids. If we never discipline our children, they will feel insecure about love and what it looks like. Discipline is a vital element of our relationship and helps inform and educate our children towards what God says is right and wrong.
God is love, and God disciplines His children for their good. "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God demonstrated His love for us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:7-10, NLT).
If we never take time to know God and what He's all about, we don't have a healthy relationship with Him. We only know of Him, and that's a very different relationship than what He created us for.
I have a favorite line in Phil Wickham's new song, Homesick for Heaven. He says, "I'll run as fast as I can into your arms, Cause I was created to be where you are". That's it, right there! Being with God is what we were created for! If that truth isn't in the center of our day, we need to recalibrate.
Why God's Truth Matters
The truth is, life is hard, no matter who you are. Sure, everyone has their own experiences that no one can truly relate to, but what they all have in common is pain. When we realize that pain is inevitable, it allows us to shift our focus from trying to end or numb the pain to working through the pain and seeing the relief that lies on the other side. Now, don’t let me mislead you. There will be another bout of pain that you must persevere through, but when you realize that all of these struggles, hurdles, nightmares, whatever you wanna name them, can all result in good, they remind us of the Hope we have, and can cling to. We are not on this earth alone. We never have been, and we never will be. Even if we feel isolated, we are amongst many who also feel isolated.
We live in a society that demands that truth be relative. While that may sound tolerant, it’s impossible to uphold. The focus of this venture is self-centered and therefore doomed from the start. When we live on the vine of Christ, we live and love from His power. And we do it together. Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” More specifically, He said, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NLT).
If we stick with Jesus and persevere through the tough stuff, we produce much fruit! Some of what we must persevere through is called pruning, and it can be pretty painful. In those times of pain, we can return to God’s Word and remind our hearts and spirits that God is doing good work in our lives!
Jesus says that He is the vine and God (the Father) is the Gardener. “He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you” (John 15:3-4, NLT).
John 15 is my favorite chapter in the book, because this is where Jesus tells us how to live. I don’t know about you, but that fits my personality to a tee. I want to learn how to live right, and this chapter explains it well. He uses the analogy of a grapevine, and the symbolism goes deep.
God’s truth is the only truth because He says so. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (NLT). It’s vital that we, God’s children, know the truth and share the truth with the world because if we don’t, we let them walk into death and destruction.
If it wasn’t already clear, I’m a passionate soul. I care deeply about the souls of every person on this planet. I know the only way to live is in Christ. If I don’t share the convictions that God has placed on my heart, then I have no love.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/pcess609
Vanessa Luu is a wife, mother, and faith-based writer. She speaks and writes to believers to encourage them to live authentically with God.
