“My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples” (John 15:8, CSB).
Just before Jesus said it is to His Father’s glory that we bear much fruit, He said that He wants us to bear fruit that remains — and that begins with us remaining in Him.
“Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me” (John 15:4-5, CSB).
To remain is to abide in God’s presence. It’s to seek Him with all our hearts (Matthew 6:33) and to cherish His words. It’s to believe what He says, to obey what He says, and to repent and ask forgiveness when we sin.
To remain is to trust God, to trust that He is good, that He does good, that He is working all things for our good, even when things are not good (Psalm 145:9; Romans 8:28). Our relationship with God — and our fruitfulness — always goes back to trusting Him, doesn’t it? Even when we can’t trace Him. Even when we feel that we have reason to pause, to question, to cry out and lament.
To remain is to invite the Holy Spirit continually to fill us freshly and transform us so that we "produce much fruit and prove to be [His] disciples” (John 15:8).
In a world full of pain, suffering, chaos, arguing, strife, and division, we need a little more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Wouldn’t our world be a very different place if the followers of Jesus released their fruit of the Spirit into the world?
Whenever God’s will and God’s ways are being done in you and through your life as you rely on Him, you are bearing fruit. You’re bearing fruit if:
You’re honoring God’s Word with faith and obedience.
You’re seeking and submitting to the Spirit’s leading.
You’re choosing forgiveness.
You’re demonstrating God's love as you serve and care for others.
You’re acting in justice, mercy, and humility to align the world around you to His ways.
You’re sharing the love of Christ with a friend, and maybe have been for years, even if they haven’t yet come to Christ.
It’s worth saying that you don’t have to see the fruit to trust God is producing it through you. Sometimes fruit is evident immediately. Sometimes it’s evident eventually. Other times it’ll be evident in eternity. Sometimes, like when we are planting the seed, we can’t see the fruit. Other times, when we are watering, we can sort of see it. But at all times, God is at work.
We don’t have confidence based on what we see. We have confidence based on what He has said. If we remain in Him, we will bear much fruit for His glory!
Father, please help me remain in You and bear much fruit for Your glory today. Help me reach people with Your love and light. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit” (CSB).
Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things” (CSB).
One of the most effective witnessing tools in our generation could be the people of God actually reflecting the character of God in a world that lives so antithetically to the ways of God. How are you reflecting God’s character in your daily life?
Considering what it means to remain in Jesus, identify ways you spend time remaining in Him, as well as ways you can remain in Him more.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
© 2026 by Christine Caine. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks HarperChristian Resources for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.
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