Fruits of the Spirit, not Spring's Best Effort

John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing."

Every now and then I seem to have what I call “theme days.” These are days that it seems like everything I am hearing in class or at church, reading in my quiet times or books, and thinking about are all the same thing, and I’m like, “OK God, apparently you are trying to tell me something!” Today was one of those days! It seems that lately I have often felt like a failure. I often feel that I have failed as a Christian as the fruits of the Spirit do not permeate from my personality day in and day out. However, as I have tried time and time again on my own to produce these fruits I have finally realized the obvious. It’s not about trying and trying to be a better Christian So often we address trying and trying to become a Christian – but not so often do I think about how often I try to become a better Christian. But once again, just as becoming a Christian is not something that I can produce, in the same way neither are fruits of the Spirit. Why? Because it’s fruits of the Spirit, not the fruits of Spring’s best effort! Instead of trying to be this amazing Christian, and Godly example, I have been instructed to do something else, which takes the emphasis once again off of me, and on Christ. In John 15:5 Christ so clearly communicates this truth. Christ states, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” So obviously I have been missing something, even though I have a painting of this verse hanging up in my apartment that I painted!! If I abide in Christ – then He will do all the work, not me. Wow, that seems so much easier, and makes so much more sense! If I abide in him, I will bear fruit. Now the question is….am I abiding in Christ?