A Season of Pruning

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful."

John 15:1-2 (NIV)

In any flourishing garden, you know there's a skilled gardener working to keep the plants and trees looking nice and healthy. Every day he must work to ensure things like weeds, pests, fungi, etc. that could hurt or hinder the plants are removed. Sometimes though, the plant itself becomes a hindrance to its own growth and it must be pruned. 

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines Prune as, 

to cut off or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth

 to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous

While it may seem counterintuitive for the gardener to cut off parts of the plants and trees he's been working so hard to nurture and grow, it's actually vital to keeping the plant healthy. I'm not a gardener, by any definition, however, Google is a wonderful thing ;). Through my reading, I've learned that as a plant/tree grows it supplies energy to all the various limbs and tendrils that are connected to it. And even though a large plant/tree with lots of leaves and branches may look healthy to the untrained eye, the opposite may be true. If a plant/tree has too many leaves, too many flowers, or too many branches, it has to divert energy from producing fruit to keeping itself alive. And if not pruned regularly, an overgrown plant/tree could actually die because it will expend all its resources supporting itself. However, in the hands of a skilled gardener who knows what needs to be cut back or even cut off, a plant/tree can divert the energy that it would have used to support the unnecessary branches and leaves and produce even more fruit, better fruit. 

That's what God, our Gardener does with us. Every now and again we're put through seasons of pruning. And I'm sure every single one of us will agree, 2020 has been a MASSIVE pruning season for ALL of us! During these seasons, God, using his skilled hands, will cut back or even cut off parts of us that are taking away energy from our ultimate purpose, bearing fruit for the Kingdom. Whether it's a distraction, a sinful attitude, a wrong behavior, or sometimes even something good and beneficial that's become more important to us than him; God will prune us. 

And while it is highly beneficial and vital for our lives, it can be painful. Especially if it's the cutting off or loss of something or even someone, we love. The loss of a job, the loss of a family member or friend, the reduction of responsibilities at work, whatever it maybe we can be confident in knowing that our Gardener will only cut what's necessary for us to bear fruit and spread his word. 

Sometimes through the pruning, God is removing roadblocks that we've put in our own paths. It may be that through the loss of a job we were comfortable in, we counted on, we're spurred to divert our energies to bigger and better things; things we wouldn't have pursued had we been left where we were. Rather than finding our security, our identities in what we do, we're now forced to rely solely on God and his provision, his direction for our lives. And I can say, from recent experience, this will open doors and lead you to places you never imagined you'd go. 

Final Thoughts:

When God prunes our lives, it's rarely fun, and most likely will take you out of your comfort zone. But there's always a reason and just as the plants benefit from the gardener's pruning, God's pruning is always for our benefit. If you're going through a season of pruning, I encourage you, as a fellow plant, to be open to the pruning. It's hard, uncomfortable, and not fun. It hurts, you want it to be over with, and you feel as if God doesn't stop soon, there will be nothing left. But trust me when I say, God only cuts what's necessary, he always does it out of love, and what he cuts he heals. 

If God is walking you through a season of pruning, take time to ask him, what he's preparing you for.