Those who grew up in the Church prior to the 1980s are likely to have been taught that to 'be fruitful' one needs to work hard to live Christian lives, to be "busy for Jesus" through personal involvement in a heavy schedule of groups/meetings, and to always be happy come what may. One songwriter summed it up like this: " By the pathway of duty flows the river of God’s grace". And chances are that most people have experienced a sense of spiritual guilt, burnout and frustration as they tried and failed to do these things.
Nowadays it is common thought that to live a 'fruitful life' means focussing simply on living in the closest possible relationship with God. It’s not about how much or how little we achieve, but how deeply and strongly we rely on God’s love. There is nothing special we need to do to gain God's attention, for we always have been the focus of God's concern. Our personal challenge is to be God-focussed: staying vitally attached to the Vine.
As we remain focussed on God, He causes the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives, bringing forth the fruit of His presence.
John 15: 4 (MSG) ~ "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me."
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