Relying on Christ

Relying on the person of Christ means continually drawing from the source of our transformation, not just admiring the fruit it produces. As we pursue Jesus, something begins to shift within us. Old habits break, new desires form, and godly characteristics start to emerge—humility, patience, peace, wisdom, love. These are not just personality upgrades; they are the evidence of Christ living in us.

But over time, if we’re not careful, we can subtly begin to rely on those outward characteristics rather than the One who produced them. We start to trust in our growth, our discernment, our discipline—as if we’ve “arrived.” And in doing so, we slowly drift from the person of Jesus and begin to stand on the fruit instead of the Vine.

The danger in this is that no matter how spiritually formed we appear to be, if Christ is no longer the foundation, our strength becomes self-made—and self-made strength eventually collapses. The very brokenness that first led us to pursue Him will find us again, not as punishment, but as a reminder: we were never meant to grow independent of Him.

True maturity in Christ is not needing Him less—it’s realizing we need Him more with every step forward. Our reliance must remain on Jesus, not just His teachings or the change He brought, but Him. The Person. The Savior. The Sustainer. The Vine. For apart from Him, we can do nothing.