Can you believe we’re almost six-months into the new year already? This year is whipping right past us. Do you remember how you started it? Can you recall where you were or what you promised yourself you’d do or stop doing? When we’re making those New Year’s resolutions, sometimes we forget that they can be as much about surrender as they are about introducing something new. Many of us promised ourselves that we would leave toxicity in the wind—that we’d get out of that relationship we know isn’t serving our wellbeing. If you’re still struggling with letting it go, it’s useless to beat yourself up over it. The great thing about life is that it’s never too late to start again! Right now, this very moment, you can position yourself to receive and achieve all the things that you’ve prayed about. Its time don’t you think?
Some of the most challenging promises to fulfill are those we make to ourselves. One of the reasons we have such difficulty with this is because we haven’t trained our minds to trust God wholeheartedly through Christ. Any time we are confronted with change, we immediately place our own set of expectations on how we should feel. We have a mental picture of what we should look like, what we’re going to get out of the situation, or how we’re going to operate without the thing or person we’ve held so tightly. Very often God has a different approach entirely.
Jesus Christ tells us in John 15:1 that he is the vine, and our Heavenly Father is the gardener. Branches are on the vine, and in case you didn’t know, WE, you and I, are the branches. We’re connected to Christ, the vine, and we get our nourishment from him. Being the Master Gardener that our God is, He knows exactly what to do to make sure branches on the vine will grow and thrive. He prunes them! This means that He cuts off the branches that are not producing fruit, because those branches are dead weight. Once the dead part is pruned, the other fruit-producing branches will produce even more.
Sometimes we have some dead branches that are connected to us, and they are sucking our life’s vitality. We need to let God prune us.
In John 15:4(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” This is an extremely powerful piece of knowledge to have, but so often we discount its practical wisdom. All of us want positive change, and when it eludes us, we sometimes think it’s a matter of will-power or lack thereof. Often the issue is one of nourishment.
As Christians, we grow and develop by enriching our minds with the truth of God’s Word. Sometimes there’s an internal disconnect because we’re missing the very revelation needed to cultivate spiritual stamina and strength. There’s more about Christ that we need to know to connect the dots and boost our faith, but we deny ourselves the wealth of this treasure because we don’t take the time to study and meditate upon God’s Word.
There are many, many people at war within themselves and are not seeking God for answers. If only they looked to our Lord and Savior, who is the author and finisher of our faith. We desperately need the Lord Jesus. We need the solid food of God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) affirms, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” The Word of God is going to pump the strength, liveliness, and mental agility into us through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is where our confidence should lie.
God commands in 1 Corinthians 10:31(NLT), “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Apart from the Will of God, we can’t make life work. With Him, the sky is the limit! We should never give up on the vision of splendor we hope for ourselves. We need to reprioritize, revitalize, and optimize our agendas so that they are in alignment with God’s Will. When we make our relationship with Him and our commitment to study His Word a top priority, the things that are weighing us down will fall off, and God’s best will pour into our lives. ■
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Reprioritize, Revitalize, and Optimize Your Agenda”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.