Do you want to know the will of God for your life? Listen: ‘‘I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain’’ (John 15:16). ‘But what if my branch is barren and my basket is empty?’ you ask. Listen: ‘Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away’ (John 15:2). ‘Does that mean I lose my salvation?’ you ask. No, Jesus was speaking about branches ‘in Me,’ proving that it’s possible to be ‘in Christ,’ yet not be fruitful or enjoy the abundant life He wants you to have. The Greek word for ‘take away’ is ‘airo,’ which means ‘to lift.’ New branches have a tendency to trail along the ground. But they don’t bear fruit there. When the rain comes they get muddy and mildewed, sick and barren. So does the vinedresser throw them away? No, they’re too valuable for that. He goes through His vineyard with a bucket of water, looking for fallen branches, lifting them out of the dirt and washing them. Remember His words in John 15:3? ‘Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you’. Once they’ve been washed, He lifts them, wraps them around the trellis, ties them securely, and pretty soon they’re thriving. What a picture! Whether you’ve fallen into the dirt or you’re just living beneath your potential, God won’t throw you away. No, He’ll lift you, cleanse you, and help you to flourish again. Why don’t you talk to Him today?