Performing or Producing?

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.”

God has chosen and appointed you to ‘go and bear fruit’. He is the vine and we are the branches that produce fruit – fruit that will last (John 15:16). The branch doesn’t strive or strain to produce fruit because it is connected to the vine.

However, so many lives and ministries are driven by the need to perform, to achieve and to be successful. Sadly, this results in a lot of fruitless activity, burnout and wasted resources. Our need for acceptance, affirmation and significance drives us to perform. We become disconnected from the vine and become reliant upon our own gifts, strengths and resources to ‘make things happen’. 

Here are four key principles to produce fruit that will last:

1. Submit to the pruning process. The Lord cuts back and prunes the branches that have both good and bad fruit. We find pruning so difficult because we attach so much of our identity to the activities that we are involved in.
2. Establish rest in your life. People who perform cannot rest. They think that if they just work harder they will become more productive. In fact it is the exact opposite, as in order to produce fruit in the Kingdom, He makes us lie down in green pastures.
3. Apart from me you can do nothing. Let go of fruitless striving and return to the vine. Producing fruit begins in that secret, intimate place with Jesus. Our activity is founded upon what we see the Father doing and is made possible and sustained through the Holy Spirit.
4. This is to my Father’s glory. Producing lasting fruit is for the Father’s glory, not ours. We need to ask ourselves whether what we are doing is really ‘for God’ or whether it remains about us. 

Lord, I choose to resist being a performer. Help me to be someone who produces lasting fruit. Amen!