This week a massive problem reemerged in my life. My first thought was, “This stinks, it would be sure nice to go back to ______. However, I am now finding purpose, and my joy is ten times higher than it ever was. So, I rejected those thoughts and tried to pray about how to react to my current situation.
John 15:2 KJ21 says: Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
Purgeth is a fancy way to say, God allows certain problems so that we wake up, follow the commandments, and bear more fruit.
Second, Satan wants us to say, “God is not with me. He is allowing this problem. I have the right to go back to _________.”
Third, God wants us to say, “My God is bigger than this problem. I will go through this problem while pursuing purpose and joy. If I keep going, I will start to find purpose and joy.”
Fourth, every time we make people and purpose more important than “What we want,” we take a large step toward joy. Consider praying:
“Father, help me to love and help people more than I love pleasure.”
Fifth, this verse also often means, I have distractions, or sins that are keeping me from doing what God wants, and needs, done.
John 15 promises us this fantastic life that we can have when we do things God’s way. I need to see my problem as a solution for learning how to go through problems so that I can live this fantastic life that the chapter promises. That is what I want.
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