REMAIN

 August 31, 2026

Opening Prayer

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to understand Your Word. Let your truth penetrate deeply and guide my life. Give me fresh revelation that empowers and instructs me. May my devotional time today reveal more of who You are. Amen.

Scripture

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

 

Reflection

I heard a wine producer talking about the impact of weather on his industry and livelihood. He was asked whether drought had a negative effect on his business.

His answer surprised me.

He explained that grapevines are remarkably resilient. In fact, sometimes the harsher the conditions, the better the grapes can become.

When a grapevine experiences drought, its roots are forced to reach deeper into the soil in search of the water and nutrients it needs. The difficult conditions can actually produce a stronger, healthier plant and, ultimately, better grapes.

As I listened, my mind went immediately to Jesus' words in John 15:

“I am the vine; you are the branches.”

And one phrase seemed to jump off the page:

“Remain in me.”

There is something about that word remain that we need to hear.

We all experience seasons of drought in our lives. There are times of disappointment, discouragement, uncertainty, grief, and struggle. We often refer to these experiences as times of spiritual dryness. Sometimes those seasons can leave us wondering where God is.

But Jesus doesn't tell us that following Him means we will never experience difficult seasons. Instead, He tells us what to do when they come:

Remain in me.

A branch doesn't produce fruit by trying harder on its own. It produces fruit by staying connected to the vine.

And perhaps something similar happens in our spiritual lives.

Sometimes it is during the hardest seasons that our roots grow deepest. When the easy answers disappear, we may find ourselves praying more honestly, searching Scripture more carefully, depending on God more completely, and discovering that His promises really can hold us.

Looking back, we may even discover that the seasons we thought were going to destroy us became seasons in which God was quietly deepening our faith.

The drought didn't mean the vine was dead.

The difficult season didn't mean God had abandoned us.

The roots were simply going deeper.

Jesus reminds us that He is the vine and we are the branches. Our strength, our life, and our ability to bear fruit come from remaining connected to Him. We simply need to remain.

So when life feels dry, remain.

When you're discouraged, remain.

When you don't understand what God is doing, remain.

When your prayers seem unanswered, remain.

When you're tempted to give up, remain.

Above all else, remain in Christ.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
thank You for reminding me that You are the vine and I am a branch. Help me to remain connected to You. When life becomes difficult, help me not to pull away from You but to put my roots deeper into Your love, Your Word, and Your promises. Grow in me the kind of faith that can endure dry seasons and continue to bear good fruit.

Amen.

Application

Today, consider these three simple responses:

1. Remain in the Word.
Spend a few extra minutes today reading Scripture and listening for what God may be saying to you.

2. Look for the fruit.
Ask yourself: How might God be using this difficult season to deepen my roots and grow something good in my life?

Today's Takeaway:

Above all else, remain in Christ.