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Consider your phone or laptop for a moment.
You probably don’t let it get too far from a charger because once it’s drained, it’s essentially useless.
Why? We understand the importance of staying powered up.
But what about our souls?
Too often, a lot of us try to stay “on”—present, productive, even spiritual—without staying connected to the one true source: Jesus. And when we do, we start running on fumes. We lose patience. Joy fades. Peace feels out of reach. Love doesn’t come as easily.
In John, it reads:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. ― John 15:4–5
Jesus isn’t calling us to a relationship that’s built on striving or religious checklists. He’s inviting us into something deeper, something that gives life instead of draining it. The word He uses is abide. It means to remain, to stay, to make your home with Him.
This isn’t about squeezing Him in when we’re desperate. It’s about intentionality and choosing to live in connection with Him daily.
Because just like a branch can’t bear fruit unless it’s attached to the vine, we can’t truly live, much less flourish, apart from Jesus.
However, when we stay close to Him, genuine growth occurs. The kind that isn’t forced or fake. It’s Spirit-grown. It’s steady and full of life.
Reflection Steps
So, pause for a moment today and ask yourself:
Where am I trying to do life apart from Jesus?
What’s one small habit I can build this week to stay connected to Him?
What fruit might He want to grow in me as I stay with Him?
Practical Next Steps
Read: John 15:1-11
Journal: Reflect on abiding with Jesus and Jesus abiding with you, either by jotting down a few related scriptures or making a list of ways His abiding presence has been made known to you today.
Let’s Pray Together
Jesus, You are the true vine as your Word says. Faithful you are to me as your unfaithful branch. I confess how quickly I drift and try to manage life apart from You. Deliver me from the mindset and heart posture to stop pretending I can do life on my own, alone, and apart from you. Help me not just to believe in You, but to stay with You—to abide.Fill me with Your life so that others around me can experience the joy, peace, and love that only comes from knowing You. Amen.
Alvin Brown, the Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church Fort Worth, brings over a decade of pastoral ministry experience and more than 20 years of operational and technical leadership expertise. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunications Management from DeVry University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Mallary, and their three children and contributing as a writer to various media outlets.
