Prayer to stay on the vine
By: Emily Rose Massey
Bible Reading:
“I will stay in me, I will be in you. The branches cannot bear fruit on their own. Unless they remain in the vine, you will remain in me. I am a vine. You are a branch. You are a branch. – John 15:4-5, ESV
Listen or read:
Anxiety (and depression) has been causing my life since I was a child, and that’s what I struggle to this day. I thought my struggle with anxiety and depression made me a very weak Christian who lacked faith in God. But that is definitely not true, my dear friend.
Because sin exists in the world, there are diseases and broken things, and no one is exempt. We are red and our eternal salvation is safe in Christ as believers, but we are still struggling in this fallen world where we live.
For me, I stopped rebeling the devil for all the anxiety and depression I was experiencing, shifting my focus to the Almighty God. Through it, whether anxiety was caused by the overwhelming thoughts I had chosen to stay in fear, or by the occurrence of hormonal imbalances in my body, God is always faithful and close to me in the midst of my suffering. My feelings and thoughts did not shake my belief in him.
Prayer may not conquer every moment of panic or worry, but my lifeline is to maintain connection with the source of peace and life and protect the vine (John 15). And don’t forget to arm yourself with the truth of God’s Word. We need to maintain our connection with Jesus. As John 15:5 tells us, except for Christ, we can do nothing.
“Before me, I am in you. The branches cannot bear fruit on their own, so unless it stays on a vine, you will not stay with me either. I am Vine. You are a grape. You are a branch.
We all experience a certain type of suffering and face the “winter” season in our lives. The difficult seasons of life can actually be the age of the Lord’s growth and maturity. In nature, tree roots actually grow deeper into the earth during winter. Your suffering is what actually allows your roots of the Lord to grow deeper. Instead of giving ourselves away to complete defeat and despair when we are struggling, we need to allow Jesus’ roots to grow deeper and deeper. During these dark times, your enemies want you to be dry, corrupted, and physically, emotionally, mentally and mentally corrupted. He will seduce you to run to others and people to take your pain away, but we must use those trial periods to approach the Lord and drink deep into his goodness and faithfulness. Remember, we must connect with Jesus, the source of our life. He alone will support us through all difficulties. No other things or people can bring you true life, peace, and wholeness. Learn to rest and stay on the vine.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you, Jesus, for giving me a new life. You know firsthand the depths of pain and suffering on earth, but for your sacrifice on the cross, I will one day be with you forever. You will finally end all your suffering and sorrow. Until that glorious day, protect you and help you hold on to the hope and peace you bring.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Pixinoo
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, and entered the world of blogging in her early 20s, publishing her first book in 2015. Believing she is allowed to do much, she loves many and wants to direct others to the transformational power of Christ and his redemption, especially by sharing the truths found in God’s written words. If you want to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.
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