“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.  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. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.” – John 15:1-9

As this year comes to a close, I feel as though many of us can agree that it FLEW by. Honestly, when I began reflecting on what I had hoped to accomplish over the last 12 months versus what I actually managed to get done, I grew more disappointed in myself and less hopeful about the year to come.

Perhaps, I thought, I could see the bright side of the unexpected doors I had to walk through, but even that seems impossible. Now more than ever, I feel lost and as though my discernment may be far less trustworthy as I thought.

Though last week, as I was told of this passage above, I realized how much of a blessing the unexpected could be.

When Jesus came to this world, died, and resurrected, He provided a path to salvation, indeed. But He also forged a way for the presence of the Holy Spirit to be available to us on this crazy journey called life. Salvation was not the end, but just the start of the beautiful connection God intended us to have with Him since the dawn of creation.

When we surrender to Jesus as our Savior from sin, we join a family that has a new name and purpose. No longer are we labeled by the shame of our shortcomings, and no longer must we live to redeem ourselves. For by the blood of Christ, we are chosen, beloved, and given a sense of true, unshakeable belonging.

We, as believers, now stand with the Father who is for us, Jesus who was with us, and the Holy Spirit who is in us. The desire for a genuine relationship could not be more evident through God’s love. He longs for a connection that is rooted deep within our hearts. Scripture says that as we abide in Him, He too will abide in us.

What is beautiful about this passage is that the only requirement for His presence is our availability and commitment. He does not claim we must reach a specific educational benchmark, memorize a certain percentage of the Bible, nor make it across a “successful” point in our lives. No. My dear friend, all He asks for is you.

As we reset our focus, priorities, desires, and perspective, Jesus claims that He will be more than enough as our new source.

From death to life, we can be renewed and given a purpose that is not affected in the slightest by our circumstances. For whether we are failing or excelling in the eyes of the world, our calling will remain the same.

This year may have gone by exactly how you had hoped or the exact opposite of what you envisioned. Either way, as we make our home in the heart of God and open ourselves up to let Him do the same in us, in every scenario, we are simply responsible to point all we do and all we are, back to Him. As a cup overflows, we ought to make ourselves available to all He is for the sake of pouring the same into others. For above all else, we must love the Lord and His people.

When you recognize your purpose, value, and place in this world has already been established by our loving God, it does not matter if your plans went south. More than you seek to be successful, you must seek to be obedient.

I struggle still to understand the way the ending will be beautiful in my life. But this sense of pride, thinking we deserve to know it all, is exactly what will keep us in the pit of despair and disappointment.

So perhaps as this year comes to an end and a new one begins, we can establish “new year perspectives” rather than just resolutions. Maybe, as we root ourselves in Christ and allow Him to take root in us, what blocks our vision from His glory will be pruned and removed. Then, we can begin flourishing from a source that will never waiver.

My dear friend, we were not meant to write our own story nor establish our own steps. Outside the presence and involvement of God is the absence of all good, love, hope, and peace. Let your heart rest and a new bud rise as we take on this new year living from the everlasting Vine.