John 15

"I am the vine, and my Father is the vinedresser (John 15:1)."

John 15 is one of the more threatening sounding chapters in the New Testament. It can take the joy out of a Christian's heart if not read correctly.
For some time, that's exactly how I read it. I thought that you had to do all these good deeds to prove you're a Christian, or God would cut you off, and I felt I was going to be cut off and thrown into the fire because I never converted anyone.
But I was thinking about it backwards.
It might be more useful to think of Jesus as an electrical transformer or a cord for a set of Christmas tree lights. If they're plugged in correctly, the light comes on, with very little effort on the part of the bulb. If the bulb is bad or it's in the wrong way, it doesn't light up at all, and you quickly pull it out and put a better one in, or you tighten the bulb until it comes on.
So it's not a threat, it's more like describing a cause and effect relationship. If you're properly connected to Jesus, you won't need to struggle to bear the fruit of righteousness, it flows through you like house current. The key is being so deeply grounded in the relationship that it's possible.
Not bearing fruit is therefore only a symptom of not being plugged in to Jesus. You don't get cut off for not bearing good fruit, you get cut off due to not being connected to the vine well enough to bear good fruit. Fruit always starts out as a small bud anyway.
If you're plugged in, you'll know, because everything's on. When everything's on, you're primed for bearing good fruit.

Dear Father in heaven, help me to always stay connected to Jesus, so that my life may always bear good fruit for you. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.