Over recent years I have had some problems with a dodgy ankle. I weakened it when I fell down a set of stairs a few years ago and then managed to go over on it again and so it was always giving me a bit of pain. Over the last two years I have bought all sorts of things to help it, I have a whole selection of ankle supports and ibuprofen ointment none of which ultimately solved the problem. So this year more as a last resort than anything else, I got some physio, and, armed with a strange rubber ribbon and a set of vigorous exercises  set about strengthening the ankle. I am delighted to say that it has worked and it rarely gives me a problem.

 

The point is that my quick fixes were useless and only when I got to the root of the problem and worked on the solution have I seen an improvement. Isn't that also the case with our lives sometimes, we love quick fixes, retail therapy, a glass or more of wine, a self help book, yet in the end it is only when we really examine what is wrong  can we stand a chance of fixing it.

Jesus spoke in terms of the vine;

 

" A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can only do so if it remains in the vine, in the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15 vs 4