In my adventures so far with trust, I came across Jeremiah 17:7-8…

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Rooted by the river of life. No fear of the future (including harsh weather conditions). Green leaves always. No worries (regardless of external circumstances). Bears fruit continuously.

This reminded me of John 15:16 (one of the first verses I memorized as a new believer). I encourage you to read the whole chapter, but I’ve included verse 4 as well (Jesus’s words):

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me… You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.”‬ ‭

To me, both passages paint a picture of health, intentionality, and priorities.

We abide in Abba. We remain rooted; we rest in Him. We stay connected to the Source. We keep close.

We take our worries, fears, and feelings to His feet. We have time and space to process things in His presence – holding, naming, letting go, truth-telling, moving forward.

He chooses us, and we bear fruit; this fruit is an overflow of our relationship with Jesus. A natural byproduct of a life lived with Him. It’s not robotic or forced; it’s not manufactured. It’s healthy growth; it’s thriving and flourishing.

We need not wither. This holy connection produces fruit that doesn’t fail. This fruit lasts forever. It comes from the Father, through us; we can’t bear fruit on our own. We get to experience and enjoy the fruit with Him.

There’s a beautiful journey of bearing fruit, and it begins here with trusting.

Planting and sowing.

Waiting and watching.

Being and doing.

Receiving and giving.

Going and bearing fruit.

But first, trusting.

❤️