Abiding Through Progress - Your Nightly Prayer - May 18th
Abiding Through Progress
Your Nightly Prayer
By Sophia Bricker
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
"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." - John 15:5, NIV
SOMETHING TO PONDER
Most things in life grow slowly. A child does not wake up one morning knowing how to talk and walk. A person does not automatically have specialized skills, like the ability to perform an operation or play an instrument. And neither can we expect to become kinder or more obedient without daily reliance on the Lord.
Yet, far too often, we act as if we can exert ourselves towards greater fruitfulness. As if we were attempting to run faster in a race––strive harder, reach further. By our own efforts, we can surely do it, if only we would do more. Lace up our bootstraps and commit ourselves to loving those we might not like, to force ourselves to give more of our earnings, to set a goal to pray for an extra thirty minutes a week, or to set a record of regular church attendance. But we cannot grow and bear fruit in our own strength any more than a grape can grow from a broken stick on the ground. As Jesus reminds us in tonight’s passage, we can do nothing on our own (John 15:4-5). We must be connected to the Vine. The only way to bear fruit is to remain, or abide, in Christ.
Abiding looks vastly different than what we are accustomed to in life. While our culture tells us to work harder and join the hustle of the world, our Lord invites us into a rhythm of fellowship. To lean into our friendship with the Savior, resting and finding our peace in Him. If we are making our relationship with Him a priority, then we are abiding in the Vine, and fruit will inevitably come. We might not even notice its growth since we are too focused on communing with God. So, we can make goals and adopt disciplines–those things are not wrong in and of themselves. But let us not forget from where our life and fruitfulness come. Abiding in Christ through resting in and enjoying His friendship is worth far more than our endless striving.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Loving Savior,
I come to You tonight fully aware of my tendency of trying to achieve spiritual growth through my own efforts. Often, I assume that I can become more generous, loving, and merciful by striving harder or praying more. But you remind me that I am not my own. Nothing inside of me, outside of You, can produce the fruitfulness I am seeking. By Your Spirit, O Lord, spiritual growth comes of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I find the greatest growth not by doing more but by spending time with You, the Vine. For You are my life; without You, I can do nothing.
In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
- A grape vine, or any other plant. What do you think of when you picture the fruition of the plant? How can you use this image to remind yourself that growth cannot be rushed?
- Memories of time spent with a close friend. This could be with a childhood friend or a current kindred spirit. In what ways might you approach time with Jesus as you would that friend?
- Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (NIV). How might this change of posture from what “I can do” to what “Christ can do in me” change your approach to spiritual growth?
Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Ivan Mani
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