By Gary Girton
So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
-John 15:4-5 TPT
If Jesus has saved us but we feel like we aren’t changing, it’s likely because we’re lacking true intimacy with God. I’ve been there!
What is intimacy with God? Spending time with Him, reading His word and praying. Sharing our struggles with Him, even though He already knows. Allowing Him to speak through His Word directly to our heart. Intimacy isn’t created with a 2 hour worship experience on Sunday. It’s created in the alone time, every day of the week. Just like sun and water causes things to grow, reading and prayer cause our spirit to grow, leading to a deeper relationship with God.
Intimacy requires sacrifice. Giving up other things to make time for the Father. Intimacy with Him builds relationship and brings change. As we do this, change will happen. We’ll still mistakes during the changing, because we’ll never be perfect, but the more we know and love God, the more we’ll turn from those things that seek to destroy our intimacy with Him. We must seek Him with every fiber of our being!