Are You Willing to Be Pruned?
Photo by Jane Thomson on Unsplash
“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 so that it will be even more fruitful.” — John 15:1-2 (NIV)
When most of us think of fruitfulness, we probably picture lush apple trees, pastures of grapes, and abundant vines. I think of my grandma and grandpa’s garden where they would grow raspberries, blackberries, and vegetables galore. Every year, I looked forward to helping them water, till the soil, and weed. Well, maybe not the weeding part. But you get the picture.
Having a garden takes a lot of work! What many people don’t realize about tending to a garden, however, is the art and craft of pruning. Because in order for a lot of crops to produce the most that they can, they have to remove the unwanted parts that could hinder its growth. Makes sense, right? The crazy part is that sometimes, pruning includes removing the parts of a plant that appear healthy and productive. Things like branches, buds, or roots, that need to make room for newer and better branches, buds, or roots. I’m sure you’re sensing the human analogy.
In life, many of us will be pruned over and over again. This is God’s way of removing things from our lives (sometimes even good things) to make space for blessings that are even better. Pruning is painful. It’s something I struggle with and question most days. But John 15 reminds us that pruning is good. Why?
Pruning happens to the branches that do bear fruit so that they can in turn produce even more. That’s right, we actually become more fruitful when we allow the Lord to prune us. It’s not easy, but if we stay steadfast, we can do more than we would ever ask, think, or imagine. The question is, are you willing to be pruned?
Question for Reflection:
Have you ever gone through a pruning season? Take time to reflect on what that was like. If you have a journaling Bible, journal about this passage in John 15 and ask God how it applies to your life right now. Then, ask Him to prune anything that will in the end make you more fruitful. Though it’s painful, the pruning will produce more abundant and worthwhile fruit than we could ever imagine.
