The Pruning

Today, I want to draw our attention to something that is happening in all of our lives, whether we realise it or not, whether we admit it or not, and whether we like it not.

In fact, the latter is very often the case, where we recognise that this thing is happening, but we do not like it, we resist it and the process either makes us rebellious or resigned into submission.

What am I talking about? P R U N I N G. Pruning. What is that? And we may have had a similar exhortation before, but based on the times, this is worth emphasising.

In the natural, when we talk about pruning, we think about farmers or gardeners or landscapers cutting off dead branches, buds, roots or leaves from a tree or a plant.

This process is done to remove dead or diseased material, encourage growth, improve air circulation, improve fruit production, manage the size of the plant and to shape them into a particular size or form.

So much for the natural, but that was necessary to help us to understand the concept in the spiritual.

As Christians, we agree that we should always be learning and growing, becoming better, stronger, wiser.

That more often than not happens after we go through some tests and trials, sometimes some real rough times - challenges to our health, relationships, and our finances. This is The Pruning. 

And again, when we go through rough times, it either makes us or breaks us. The choice is ours.

I want to encourage us all today, to turn our scars into stars, our obstacles into opportunities, transform our trials into triumphs, and let our struggles become our strength.

I know, because I have been through so many challenges myself, that pruning does not feel good. But once we understand that it is a necessary process to make us better, we should have a better attitude as we go through.

So pruning, in the spiritual, is the process by which we undergo challenges, discipline, or life changes that help remove negative or unproductive aspects of our characters, behaviours, or life circumstances. It is intended to promote growth, maturity, and a deeper connection with God. If we are honest with ourselves, we all need to undergo The Pruning.

In the book of St. John chapter 15:1-2 NLT, Jesus provides this scenario:

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”

As we are going through Family, here are some pointers for us, reminding us that The Pruning is actually profitable: 

1. Facing Challenges or Hardships

   - Just as a tree is pruned to remove dead or unproductive branches, people often go through difficult times or face obstacles that force them to let go of unhealthy attachments, bad habits, or negative influences. These hardships can refine a person’s character, making them stronger and more resilient.

Romans 5:3-4 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”

And James 1:2-4 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

2. Receiving Discipline

   - Sometimes, pruning comes through discipline, whether it’s from God, authority figures, or circumstances. Discipline teaches important lessons and helps correct behaviours that hinder personal or spiritual growth. 

Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

3. Letting Go of Distractions

   - Pruning may involve removing distractions or excesses from our lives that are preventing us from focusing on what truly matters. This could mean giving up certain activities, relationships, or possessions that are not contributing to our well-being or spiritual health.

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”

4. Undergoing Spiritual Refinement

   - Spiritual pruning can be a process where God allows or orchestrates events that strip away superficial or self-centred aspects of a person’s life, leading us to greater humility, dependence on God, and alignment with His will. This can involve deep inner work, such as confronting sin, repenting, and seeking forgiveness.

Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

5. Experiencing Life Changes

   - Life changes, such as loss, moving to a new place, or changing careers, can be forms of pruning. These changes force a person to adapt, grow, and often discover new strengths or deeper purposes that were previously hidden.

Isaiah 43:18-19 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

6. Developing Patience and Endurance

   - Just as a pruned tree must heal and then produce new growth, when we are undergoing pruning, we must be patient and endure the process, trusting that it will lead to greater fruitfulness. This could involve learning to wait on God’s timing or persevering through long periods of uncertainty.

Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

7. Growing in Faith and Trust

   - Pruning can lead to a deeper faith, as one learns to trust God’s plan and timing, even when it’s painful or difficult to understand. This trust is built as we see how God uses pruning to remove what is harmful from us and to cultivate what is good.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

And Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

The Pruning. It’s rough, it’s painful, but it’s a way of making us better. It is a transformative process where unnecessary, unhealthy, or unproductive elements of our lives are removed to allow for a healthier, more abundant life. 

The Pruning. Not an easy road, but It leads to a more focused, fruitful, and spiritually mature life, in alignment with God’s purpose. It is an act of divine care and preparation for greater things.

The Pruning: Change your pain into purpose. Use your setbacks as stepping stones. Convert your challenges into chapters of growth. Use your tests to become testimonies. Make your mess into messages. Transform your burdens into blessings. 

aub - 23Sept24

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