The Lord’s pruning is an act of love, to you and to others.
John 15:1-5 talks about how Jesus is the vine, we – His followers, are the branches, and the Father is the vinedresser. As the vinedresser, the Father prunes the branches that bear fruit so that they can bear more fruit. From a quick google search, I found the following description of pruning:
carefully cutting back grapevine branches during the dormant season, removing excess growth and selecting specific canes to produce fruit the following year
In other words, the Father creates or allows for circumstances that will make us feel like we are being taken apart, emotionally.
Being a believer, a true lover of Jesus, can be difficult as it requires sacrifice, a lot… constantly. Sometimes sacrifice feels like punishment… this is usually because we can’t always pinpoint the reason for the sacrifice or see immediate results for it. But this is where trusting in the Lord comes in… even that in itself is a bit of a sacrifice because it requires you to surrender your own logic and reasoning. For those of us that find comfort in control, this can really be testing.
For clarity, when I say ‘sacrifice’, I mean doing anything that costs you for the sake of your love for Jesus, even the “small things”. This can mean:
- Holding your tongue when someone says something that makes you want to have it out with them
- Making an effort to show respect to that aunty who offers unprovoked commentary about your personal life
- Making food for a loved one after they said something unkind to you
- Being the first to apologise following an argument you know you were justified in
- Dutifully and quietly cleaning a kitchen you didn’t make dirty
I could give more examples, and of course, there are martyrs who actually die for the love of Christ, not just symbolically. For this piece, though, I want to discuss the symbolic death experienced in everyday reality of interpersonal relationships and interactions. The examples above all hurt and cost because we have to go against the ego to not do or say what might feel instinctive.
Even with that difficulty in mind, please be encouraged. If you are feeling weary from the pruning, be comforted by the fact that it means you are right where the Lord wants you to be… you are already bearing much good fruit for His kingdom, and He is pruning you so you can bear even more fruit. Your character is being refined for YOUR good.
“… do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:5-6
Even though we don’t see it (probably so we don’t become prideful and conceited), we are reaping huge results for the kingdom with our sacrifices. Our sacrificial behaviour is used by the Lord to change the hearts of those who observe us. In a time to come, those around us will grow into branches that produce fruit of their own. We might never be thanked for our sacrificial behaviour or even have it acknowledged by those around us… but the Lord sees.
Be encouraged and take heart, knowing that He is with you through it all. Remember that Jesus warned us about this world, but He also told us to take heart because He overcame the world. He didn’t leave us as orphans but sent us a Helper in the Holy Spirit. Be constantly reminded that He loves us, and we are to remain in His love, and to never doubt His love for us.
*Please don’t doubt His love for you*
When going through pruning, the temptation to doubt God’s love for us can be strong, I will admit I have been guilty of giving in. I’ll leave you with something that has encouraged me:
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Hebrews 12:1-3
Many have come before us who have endured (see Hebrews 11), this should give us hope of what is possible in our faith when we place our complete trust in God. In the same way, your endurance testifies to others and gives them hope!
Most importantly, we have the example of our Lord Jesus who made the ULTIMATE sacrifice. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith – meaning He won’t leave the work He has started in us unfinished. Shifting our focus onto Him and what He had to endure for our sake can bring things into perspective. When I ponder on the reality of the cross, I know it would have been impossible for me to consider the salvation of the world, but had Jesus not, we wouldn’t have the hope we now have. So, please, consider His endurance, and may it strengthen you so that you do not grow weary and lose heart as you endure your own pruning.