Pruning

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:2, NIV.

Gardening is not my strength, but I love plants. I especially love flowering plants that bloom, like rose bushes. I have several rose bushes and I have learned that one of the most important parts of caring for them is pruning. Cutting the branches off, specifically where there are wilted flowers, helps the plant to flourish. When done well the bush will bloom more often and be fuller after a good pruning.

Sometimes in life we have seasons of subtraction. For me, one such season was the time God asked me to not only stop leading a church Bible study, but to leave my home church altogether. It felt like a huge loss leaving behind so many relationships and years of dedication.

However, God brought me to a new church where I am growing in new ways and I can now see he wasn’t taking anything from me, he was pruning.

In John 15:2 Jesus says God prunes his branches that are fruit-bearing so they can bear even more fruit. We are the branches in this metaphor, sprouting off the vine of Jesus. We don’t always understand the purpose of pruning, but we have to trust the gardener. His perspective is far and wide when we see only our present circumstances. And he is a good, skilled gardener.

So, when you feel God calling you to step back from a dream you are pursuing, let go of a business, ministry, or vocation you have been dedicated to, or eliminate even the most enjoyable obligation, do it. His ways are higher and everything he does is for your good and his glory. The pain of pruning is temporary but the consequences of resisting the prune may be lasting.

Sometimes God knows the weight of a certain branch has become too heavy and needs to lighten it. Other times he is simply preparing a branch for a greater, more beautiful bloom. Always, he wants us to be fruitful. Sometimes that means water, sunshine, and nutrients. Sometimes it means pruning.

Being tended to isn’t always pleasant, but it is always beneficial when the gardener is God. Where have you felt a call to pruning in your life? What dead weight are you carrying? How can you lean into God and accept his pruning in this situation?

Prayer: God, you are the best gardener. May everything I do bring you glory, including being faithful in allowing your shears to strip away anything I am no longer to carry. Forgive me for trying to grow on my own and resisting your pruning. Help me to be quick to accept your instructions and to grow in the way you intend. Thank you for loving me enough to prune my life for your glory and my good. Amen.