Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringers forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15: 4-5
No manufacturer expects its product to malfunction. Every product is expected to perform as it should. A watch should tell the time, a pair of shoes should protect feet and a vehicle should move from place to place. Made in his image and likeness, God expects the best from us and wants us to be fruitful and multiply. God is never pleased when we fall below our potential. God is honoured and glorified when our light shines before men and we manifest according to His divine design.
Carrying a label of being a Christian is not enough. We must be fruitful, we must flourish. And, just like branches on a tree, to flourish, we need to be pruned. That is, some parts of us—those parts preventing our full expression—must be removed.
So why does God prune? He prunes to increase the yield, just like a farmer does for a tree. God is always raising champions in His Kingdom. He expects us to flourish physically, spiritually and in all areas and at all ages. By His grace, He renews our strength to do more and be more.
God also prunes to target the removal of diseased, damaged and non-productive parts. Parts of our lives that do not add value are subject to pruning.
So how does God prune us? We are pruned in two ways: by the word of God and through life’s experiences.
The word of God prunes us by educating and illuminating us. It also provides instruction and caution for our conduct. Many of us have aspects of our lives that we are working against us such as anger, pride, wickedness, greed and so on. God uses His word to prune us by exposing these aspects. It is usually not convenient or comfortable, but it is necessary to enable us to reach our full potential.
Another way God prunes us is through life’s experiences. It is said that experiences make the best teacher. God can use the circumstances around us to nudge us in the direction of change or open our eyes to character flaws that we might not be aware of.
What kind of fruit is expected from us as children of God after going through pruning? The fruit in this context is our character and deeds. The Bible refers to the fruits of the spirit - love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Remember that God’s pruning is not up for negotiation. He knows what is best for us, better than we do. If we are going to live up to our full potential and realize the beautiful, wonderful vision God has for us and manifest the completeness of His design for our lives, we must embrace the reality of pruning.
And while pruning can be painful and uncomfortable sometimes—whether through God’s word or life’s circumstances—we can rest assured, knowing that He is invested in our lives and will do everything He does with us in love.
Song of Worship
Glory be to God in the Highest, Amen. For His mercies endureth forever, Amen.
Dear Lord, give me the grace to yield to your pruning so that I might live up to the glorious vision you have for my life. In Jesus name. Amen
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