Day 243- Joy Through True Connection
📖Daily Reading
John 12-15
Join me on my morning walk as we rise and shine together by walking through the Bible daily and learn a practical applicable coaching nugget from the ultimate life coach - our creator (whatever that means to you). No judgement zone here, all are welcome, we are all on a spiritual journey because we are after all spiritual beings having a human experience.
📝 Reflection
John 15: 9-11
““I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
““I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” (J15:V1-2). I am grateful for this more straightforward language today, I am worn out from yesterday. I think many people are familiar with this chapter and the words like just as I am in the father is in me, so I am in you if you remain in me.. my own paraphrase. The connection and instruction is very clear. The verses above let us know one of the benefits of staying connected will be overflowing joy.
In nature branches don’t have a choice about being connected. As we have already discussed God decided to give us this interesting thing called free will. As I was walking this morning and looking at the trees I was imagining some of the branches hopping off and walking around. Maybe they are bored being attached to their particular tree and they see that there are some other branches out walking around and they decide that looks like more fun. Probably can’t blame them. That is us, essentially, is what Jesus is saying here. I know it seems like kind of a funny image, but go with it. Close your eyes and let yourself imagine.
As I look at the tree the branches obviously enjoy greater health being attached to the tree and are part of a healthy community and the evidence is in the fruit and flowers that they produce being connected together. I happened to be focused on a walnut tree this morning and not only were there walnuts, but there was a whole community that benefits. Squirrels, insects, birds, me 🐦 🐿 🕷🧍🏽♀️. The whole world benefits when the branches stay connected to the vine. Greater health brings joy.
This may not always mean physical health, I think it is more about spiritual health. Spiritual health spills over into every other facet of health. It allows us to bear with struggle, in fact sometimes this might be part of an intentional pruning process that God is allowing us to go through. Struggles and pain are often where the growth happens and the benefits of this growth is even more fruit. We can lean to enjoy and lean into the pruning process because we know what is coming.
But he also warns us later in the chapter that these other branches that have decided to branch off and be in the world and create their own experience of the world will be very unfriendly to those who decide to be connected. “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.” John 15:19 NLT.
This only means that we need to stay connected that much more. We have help through the Holy Spirit to stay strong in our connection and this will give us joy even in the face of hatred, misunderstanding, ridicule, skepticism etc. We just need to hold tight and bear fruit and be the living proof that true life comes from God and spirit, everything else is just a shadow and only brings temporary and false happiness here and there, but it does not bear eternal fruit.
I feel personally like maybe one who is being pruned right now. I was of the world and decided to reconnect and it is sometimes challenging for me for me to not feel a bit torn between the two worlds. I am finding a lot of encouragement in the word and find new sustaining and nourishing strength everyday to keep being connected. I am holding on to the promise that it will bear much fruit for generations to come. I am gladly laying down my life in the hopes it will help others here and now and that in my own family that it will change the tide of suicide, addiction, co-dependency, enabling, mental health, anxiety for generations to come.
I have nothing but love for myself, my parents, grandparents, and other family members I know that they/we were just doing the best they/we could with what we/they had and knew at the time. Looking back I can see that disconnection lead to heartache, living in darkness, trying to find our own way and trying to make sense of life and live according to our limited human understanding. We were disconnected and it bore its own fruit of discord, dis-function, loneliness, seeking connection, solace and comfort through things like alcohol, food and searching for home. Searching for love in all the wrong places.. I think this is a song that many have sung and resonate with..
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.”
John 15:13-17 NLT
✍🏼Daily Journal Prompt
Are you over flowing with joy? How are you staying connected?
📖Tomorrows Reading
John 16
Coaching Opportunity
Let's make 2024 the year of YOU by laying a solid foundational mind set! The world needs what only you have to offer! Give yourself the best gift ever, the best version of you is ready to rise & shine!
Book your free📞Wake Up Call today to learn if this is what you have been waiting for!
If you have stuck with me this far, then you are not reading this by accident, I believe God has a plan for you and is calling you forward!😉🤩
CONNECT WITH ME
Subscribe to Rise & Shine✨Together Daily Encouragement
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/felecia.b.holmes (personal)
Rise & Shine Together Private Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1093183278239989
You Tube: Rise & Shine Playlist
|