I always say that John 15 is my favorite chapter in all of Scripture, if I had to pick one.

I just love the verse when Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me, you can do nothing.”

The “without me, you can do nothing” part is well worth remembering. In my pride I forget it all too often, so it’s NEVER a bad idea for me to remind myself of that stark truth for a dose of humility.

However, what I most love about this verse is the first part.

• Jesus doesn’t say that if you abide in Him, and honestly try to learn to surrender to God’s will, you MIGHT bear fruit.
• He doesn’t say you’ll SEE the fruit (and that’s a consolation when things feel futile, dry, and pointless).
• He doesn’t say you’ll bear fruit of the kind you would choose (and that’s a consolation when you feel like a failure, or when things feel like they are taking far too long).
• Jesus, who IS the Truth, promises that if we abide in Him, we WILL bear fruit.

That promise brings great hope, because like everyone, I’ve had my share of dashed dreams, hopes, and expectations.

This verse reminds me that God does not judge as the world judges. He is not looking for worldly success. He is looking for faithfulness.

If we strive to be faithful, and turn daily to prayer, and repent when we fall, Jesus gives us a divine promise that, when all is said and done, the Spirit WILL bear fruit in us.

It’s beautiful as well to pair this verse with the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: fruits like peace, joy, gentleness, patience, goodness, and self-control.

FRUIT GROWS SLOWLY

One other point I love about Jesus’s analogy of use bearing fruit is that fruit grows over time.

Human beings also grow over time, gradually, in every sense: intellectually, physically, and yes, spiritually.

When spiritual growth feels slow and I am tempted to get frustrated, I remember myself of Jesus’s promise. Who am I to demand growth and fruit outside what is the norm for the human condition–which means, slowly?

Again, it’s about FAITHFULNESS. It’s about getting up and continuing to try day after day, and making honest attempts to hold myself accountable.