The Sin of Uselessness – From the Edges – Morning Devotional

From the Edges – Morning Devotional
The Sin of Feeling Useless
Pastor Calvin Cook – April 11, 2024
Scripture focus – The Sin of feeling Useless –
John 15:5-6 “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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

We all go through it. We all suffer from it. We all have the feelings in our life of worthiness and value. We all say, “How do I matter”. We feel useless. We feel it in the times when no one seems to want to be our friend. We feel it when life and all its messes seem to be pouring down on us. We feel it many times because of being in situations we don’t know how to get out of. We feel it when we have become so self-centered that only our thoughts and our views matter. It gnaws at us. Even consumes us and plunges us into a spirit of feeling useless.

For us when we succumb to this, we begin to make bad decisions, looking for quick escapes and being surrounded by more than we seem able to deal with. Not admitting that this is something we all go through is part of the problem.

This morning John 15:5-6 is really speaking to me. It is speaking to me as I question – “What did I do to deserve all this” instead questioning “What didn’t I do to deserve this?” The being connected to the continual source of our strength is what becomes important.

John 15:5-6 gives us some action steps to make the necessary steps to bring us out of the sin of feeling useless. Step 1 – acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and that because of that Jesus was sent to all of us (John 3:16) Step 2 – Receiving Jesus as Savior. Placing this relationship and its importance over everything. Step 3 – doing what God says (1John 3:24) Step 4 Continuing to believe and trust even when what is happening doesn’t seem right, the faithful will remain righteous to God. Step 5 – Pruning back the branches, dead branches, diseased branches, week branches can’t produce, support, or grow good fruit. Step 6 – relating with like-minded followers of Jesus in worship, conversations, prayer, mission, and ministry, and realizing that we are all in this together and called to love God and love each other. (Acts 2:42)

Together can we turn the corner. Being in prayer for each other, for the ministry of the Gospel, pruning away those things that are harming us, not just turning us away but causing permanent harm. With a spirit focused on righteousness we will see Jesus fully for who He is, our Savior, our friend, our God.

Now pick up those pruning shears and realize you are the beloved of God. That you are more than you think you are in the love and hope of Jesus. Claim it and live it!