When will the pruning end? That is a question I used to ask myself, that is, until I came across John 15.
John 15:1-2 in the Amplified says; I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He, repeatedly, prunes, so that it will bear more fruit, even richer and finer fruit.
The pruning doesn’t end, at least not if we want to continue bearing richer and better fruit.
First of all, the word of God says, Jesus, our vine dresser ‘cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit.’
God cuts some things off. What kind of things does He cut off?
Things that are hindering you from walking in your destiny. Things that are standing in the way of your progress. Often, things you have become comfortable with. Things YOU chose, that He didn’t choose for you. Things that will only bring your heartache and pain. Things that refuse to change and submit to God and His word. Things that stop you from being who you were created to be in Him. And things that have served their purpose in your life.
I used to struggle with things God was cutting out of my life, but I have learned to trust Him in the pruning process. I have learned He can see what I can’t see. I have learned He truly knows what is best for me. I have learned that when He says, ‘He has good plans for me for a hope and a wonderful future’ that He alone knows how to obtain that good plan. I trust Him with my future. Therefore, these days, when He begins to cut away, I do not fight it. I submit to it.
Next, the word of God says that God cuts or prunes some things back.
This always reminds me of some trees a friend of mine once pruned. They looked really bad, as close to a dead tree as you could get, at least in my eyes. I didn’t think they would ever grow again…but they did.
It is the same with us. A fruit tree that’s just been pruned certainly doesn’t look great. When God begins to prune and cut things back in your life, it is to redirect the life source within you and for a season, you may not look so great either.
This may mean letting go of something you thought would always be there. This may be refocusing your life on different things. It may mean that no one around you will understand what is going on in your life. It may even mean having to live with a little less than you are comfortable with for a season.
Pruning can take on many different forms and it looks different on each person, but make no mistake about it, if you want to continue to bear good fruit, pruning will be a part of your life. Life flowing into a barren branch with no hope of fruitfulness is simply not God’s plan for you! His plan for you is a life of abundant fruitfulness and that, my friend, requires pruning.
Know this, your God can be trusted. He alone knows what needs to be cut off in your life and what needs to be cut back.
We may not fully understand, frankly, we may not understand what He is doing at all, but we can trust Him. Remember, the word of God says He repeatedly prunes, it is a never-ending process, therefore we must choose to trust Him and submit to the process…for the process will indeed, produce rich and abundant fruit.
The next time you find yourself in a season of cutting away or in a season of pruning, instead of fighting against it, pray. Pray and say ‘God, You alone knows what needs to be cut away and what needs to be cut back, I submit to Your hand and Your wisdom, I trust You God, thank You for preparing me to produce rich and abundant fruit, I will praise You in the process, knowing in You, I will produce more and more fruit. In Jesus name. Amen.’
