If I Only Had _________

14IF ONLY I HAD ____________

by Cody Criswell

The other day I was out for a drive, trying to find the best fishing spot possible. I took every back road I could find in search of the perfect spot, until I took a wrong turn and ended up stuck. I don’t drive a 4x4, so I probably shouldn’t have been on these roads anyways, but it was too late for that. So I did what any man would do: I didn’t ask for help. I tried my best to get myself out of the mess I was in. I tried shifting to different gears, rocking back and forth, and even digging myself out. Despite all of my effort, I only ended up making it worse. After about an hour of trying to get out in the hot weather, I gave up. I laid down in the back of my vehicle, feeling tired and hopeless.

Just then, a gentleman in a 4x4 pulled up and yelled, “Need me to pull you out?” I looked at him and said, “No, I’ll get it eventually!” I’m kidding, that’s not what I said. I jumped right up and said, “Please!” And in less than a minute, he had me tied to his truck and out of the sand. He offered me a cold water, and then we were both on our way. It was then that I realized the lesson God was teaching me.

God has designed us to need others. We live in a culture that encourages us to go at it alone, so we try our best to navigate life without help, without God, and without others. This is not God’s plan for your life.

Right before Jesus goes to the cross, he gives instructions to his followers: “Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me” (John 15:4).

Jesus says that being spiritually connected is like being attached to a vine. You’re not going to have any fruitfulness in your life if you’re out there on your own. You’ve got to stay connected.

What kind of fruit does someone who’s connected have? “Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be more loving. I’d like to be more joyful. I’d like to be more at peace, no matter what happens. I’d like to be kind to people who are mean to me. I’d like to be a good person. I want to be faithful. I want to keep my promises. I’d like to be gentle with people who are not very gentle. And I’d like to have more self-control.

That’s called the fruit of the Spirit. If you are not seeing yourself grow in all these areas, you are probably not connecting.

Paul’s saying this is so important that not only do you need the support like in a building, and not only do you need the life blood like being in a body—he’s saying you’re not going to have any fruitfulness in your life if you’re out there on your own. You’ve got to stay connected. And the Good News is that God wants you to be connected! God is for you!

Cody Criswell, Canyon Hills KRV Campus Pastor