Enjoy the Pruning

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2

Today I realized how much I enjoy pruning. We started out picking up weeds to keep the yard from getting overrun. We are trying to avoid needing to have a crew come in again, we don’t need to pay someone to do this if we just pick it up each week. Then we turned our attention to a large cactus that has long thing branches that end up top heavy and breaking. I admit although supervising with an opinion, I left that to my husband. Those little needles hurt and seem to attach to places they have never touched.

Wanting to be helpful, I turned my attention to a little Desert Willow tree with pretty flowers that is planted next to the cactus. It had many dead long leaves attached, so I quickly went to work taking them off along with the dead brittle branches that were also attached.

It took me back to a study I completed as part of the discipleship training program through Influencers. The book that we used the first time I went through the study is different from what is used now. We initially used The Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkerson, based on John 15. One of the ladies in our group did gardening and talked in detail at one point about the pruning process.

I won’t try to remember it all, but today I found deep satisfaction in taking off the things that were sucking the life out of my little Desert Willow. I felt like I would finish, step back and realize there were additional branches I missed. My husband made a comment to me about not using the work gloves when I found myself bleeding from something that I pulled off. It tried to tell him it is easier if I can feel what is going on with the branches. When I finished, I cut off a few low hanging branches.

I thought about the many things that God has cut out of my life over the years. I didn’t realize that certain things in my own life were literally sucking the life out of me. I knew some no longer served me, but I was used to them being there. Comfort and familiarity are powerful draws. I didn’t give much thought until God started cutting them away. Some were easy to break off my life. Others took a little more effort, but were clearly needing to be removed. Some of the cutting away was discipline because God loves me enough not to let me stay in the dysfunction. I feel like now I am more in a pruning process for growth and purpose.

As I stepped back multiple times, thinking I was done, looking from a different vantage point only to see there was more work to do, I realized that too reflects my life. Just when I think that God is done with me in a specific area, I find out I am not as far along in the process as I thought I was. It is easy to have patience when it is not being tested. It is easy to control your anger when everyone is doing things your way. It is humbling to know He has to keep coming back and that really He only took the step back because it is what I required in the moment. I am the one that delays the process, He won’t force it. He will let me have my way, but He will eventually get me where He needs me. The question is, do I assist Him? Or do I resist Him and make Him do it the hard way?

I also thought about the people that I work with as a counselor. Pruning is also taking place in their life. Sometimes I can see areas they are not aware of yet. Other times, things are hidden among the many branches and colors of what they are dealing with on the surface. Some hand me the sheers screaming “help” and really allowing the process to take place. Others are more resistant, they want the beauty, the growth, but they don’t want to sacrifice anything along the way; even things taht are destroying them.

I know at times, God has to handle me with kid gloves. He definitely shed blood for me, and I know at times I break His heart. I have a pretty tough exterior, but at times I can be a hot mess on the inside. God knows it. He knows where that breaking point is for me. He knows my inner most being, He can see when I need a little more pressure and when I need to have time to process what is happening. He takes the time to know my heart. His blood was final, it already covered and washed away my sin. He doesn’t hold it against me when my tough exterior gets prickly. His grace and forgiveness are available when I confess it to Him.

I know that God is still pruning me. I don’t think the process will ever end this side of Heaven. He is still working on those low branches. Cutting away at the things that aren’t necessarily sin, but are also not the best He has for me. He is shaping me more and more for the purpose and plan that He created me for. Helping me to look more and more like Him.

For the past decade, since my first time through the Journey, I have had a different view of the discipline and pruning process. Although it doesn’t always feel good, I welcome His sheers on my life. I want to have those things that don’t serve Him stripped away. I want to be more fruitful. I want to grow to my fullest potential in Him. That can only happen if I let the Master Gardener have His way in my life. It is only when my focus is on Him that I can enjoy the pruning.