Over the course of the last few years God has taught Donna and I the importance of Pruning in the garden. I struggled with the concept of pinching off a beautiful bud, or completely removing branches, thinning fruit and basically removing growth from a plant. The bud was going to be a beautiful flower and now we just pinched it off and put it into the compost pile.
We have learned that pruning encourages new growth because it allows more light to enter the interior of the plant. You want more fruit, more flowers, more vegetables, then you must prune or thin the first buds or shoots.
We have come to learn that pruning is how we show Love for the plant and the garden. Pruning is an act of Love.
“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
God wants more light to enter your heart and the way to do that is through His pruning.
There are two actions being performed by God in the above verse. One is total removal of a branch, “Cuts off” and the other is pruning. He prunes the good branches even though they are producing good fruit for the Glory of Him. The pruning makes the branch even more fruitful.
One of the greatest stories of pruning is the story of Joseph. He was a spoiled, very handsome young boy. Treasured by his father and he knew he was special in the way he treated his brothers. God had plans for Joseph, but Joseph in his present frame of mind and attitude could never become what God wanted him to be.
It was 13 years between when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers until he became second in charge of all of Egypt. That is the position God wanted him in to be able to save his family and to help the nation of Israel grow.
Joseph produced a lot of good fruit during his time as Potiphar’s assistant, and other positions he held. But he still needed pruning. He then was falsely accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison. God knew what was needed to make Joseph into the man that was needed to represent God to the family and nation. It just took thirteen years of pruning.
We do not read if Joseph understood that he was being pruned. Yet, we do not read any verses of him complaining to God. He went through the pruning in full trust of God even if he did not understand or if he felt he was being unjustly treated.
Pruning is what makes you a better reflection of God.
God’s pruning is not related to any form of punishment. It is the one of the greatest acts of Love that God relishes to do for you.
The Branch cannot prune itself and the branch never realizes it needs pruning and has no say in how it is going to be pruned. It thinks it is a great branch that is producing great tasting fruit. The branch believes it is doing God’s work and doing it well. There is nothing wrong with the fruit that it is producing. But God had bigger and greater plans for the branch.
The need for pruning in our garden never ends. We never reach a point and say it is all done and finished.
The greatest love of God is that He is never done pruning the ones He loves. God’s pruning is a loving act of edits and adjustments, not punishment. He cuts away what is dead to make space for your next season of growth. It removes obstacles like pride, control and selfish habits to bring forth more fruitfulness and to let new light inside so that there will be further growth.
“When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!” James 1:2 JB Phillips New Testament
Stop asking God to bless and walk with you. Start walking in the garden of life with God and let Him completely transform you into a new and living branch for Him. God Loves You!
Remember it is not a religion, it is a relationship.
Prayers and Love for all.
Larry
Unbolt The Door To Your Heart 