“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

My stepfather was an impulsive, eccentric, no-nonsense, but intelligent man. Once he got an idea in his head, the discussion was over, and there were no half-measures. Our home sat on a corner lot. As an alternative to a fence, lovely dark green shrubs were planted, to create a hedge surrounding the front and sides of the yard.

One day, my stepfather hacked them down to almost nothing, saying it would make them grow stronger. On viewing the carnage, my mother’s eyes widened, and her mouth set in a well-known tight, thin line. She didn’t often voice her displeasure with my stepfather’s antics, but now the tension in the house rose loudly. All of us kids became quiet and scarce. The sight was pitiful. Where once there had been green, brown sticks were poking out of the ground.

Over time, however, the shrubs sprouted fresh greenery and filled out into a beautiful hedge. Years later, they were an impressive, tall, sturdy barrier to privacy.

In John 15, Jesus tells us that we are the branches, but He is the vine. Our source of nourishment, strength, beauty and ability to flourish is linked directly to Him.

It doesn’t matter what comes our way if we are connected to the vine. Even if we are chopped down to bare bones, there is hope of restoration and abundant life. With Christ, we rise mightier, healthier and more beautiful than before.

The Lord often allows difficult challenges into our lives. If we need pruning to grow strong and abundantly, He will do it. The deeper the sin or idol, the more severe the pruning. It is piercing and sharp and may not look pretty when finished, but it will produce solid roots for us to flourish.

Do you feel like you are being pruned? Is the Lord showing you something that needs to go or be changed? It hurts, I know, and sometimes it feels like we are losing a limb. But the Lord desires only what is best for us. After times of being pruned, I clung to that truth with all my strength. As I slowly healed, there was great joy and gratitude in my Saviour for not leaving me where I was.

Without pruning, we carry a lot of dead wood that weighs us down, holding us back from the abundant life the Lord desires for us. Rotten wood of lies we believed, failures we can’t let go of, unhealthy behaviours we learned, heart idols we still cling to, etc. Our good Father doesn’t tolerate this in His children because He loves us. His goal for us is freedom and restoration. But to reach the goal, some stuff has to go.

The beauty of it is that with each pruning, we feel lighter and more like who we long to be, who we were designed to be. As Psalm 30:5 says,

“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Becoming more like Jesus is a journey, a process. Some pruning is easier than others, but each one is necessary for our ongoing salvation.

If you are in a season of pruning right now, I pray for the Holy Spirit’s power to endure and grow. Hold fast to the promises of God’s Word and find a friend to share your struggle with. If you don’t have anyone, feel free to message me.

Perhaps you’re experiencing the other side of some pruning that the Lord has done in your life. I rejoice with you for persevering and your newfound freedom.

Sisters, let’s cheer one another on in the process of “more of Christ and less of me”. Heart surgery is painful! Let’s be caregivers, by praying for one another and speaking truth in love.

Be well!

Patricia