Trusting the Vine of God

Yesterday while at mass I heard one of the most inspirational and moving sermons that I have ever heard.  This one was one that reached out and touched my heart, and was one that I can relate to all aspects of my life, and all goes back to having faith in God. 
I have always had faith in God, the problem that I have had was to be brave enough to share it with everyone.  The biggest fear that I have is the fear of being judged.  I also have had the issue of not always living my life in a way that God could be shown through, or even that I could be proud of.
A trip to Tennessee had shown me how God can change my life.  Seeing the work that he had done in a friend was the first important step I needed.  When you see someone on a different level and see the little seeds you know that God is at work.
Then it all came together yesterday at mass.  The parable came up of a woman walking through the woods and she hears a growl coming from behind her, so she turns around and finds Tigers.  She runs but finds herself at the edge of a cliff.  When she looks down she sees a vine, and starts to climb down.  As she is climbing she hears a growl from underneath her.  When she looks down she sees another pack of tigers.  She stops where she is but then starts hearing little scratching sounds from above and sees mice gnawing at the vine.  Faced with all of this she looks around and finds wild strawberries around her and chooses to take the moment to enjoy a strawberry.
I find myself in this situation so many times.  I have tried to scramble and throw strawberries up, or down.  Tried to scare the mice.  While it may work for a few minutes, the tigers and the mice always come back.  I have failed to do the one thing that is so important... trust in the vine.  I need to take the step back and learn how to trust in the vine and know that the strength of the vine is the strength that I need to live my life. 
Once you learn to trust in the vine that is when you will find the strawberries, and that the strawberries become more and more plentiful.  Seeing the strawberries, and then learning how to enjoy them is the key to learning how to live a life with Jesus and how to be completely happy.
I have challenged myself to start living my life.  I have challenged myself to stop trying to do what I think others want me to do.  I have challenged myself to stop being the person that I was and hated, and take that little light that I loved and start living that as my life.  Trusting in God, and knowing that he is there.  Trusting that during the times when I feel that I am going to fall, that God will be my strength.  Finding the tigers and the mice in my life and doing what I can to eliminate them if possible.  Knowing that there will always be tigers and mice, but knowing that my faith is what is needed to keep me strong.