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Pruned Until it Hurts
Andrea Lende • March 31, 2021
John 15:2
Pruned Until it Hurts
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Pruned-Until-it-Hurts-etvgsi
John 15:2
“Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.”
As I read this passage today, my immediate thoughts turned to wondering if the pruning would ever stop.
Would I ever be in a place where the Lord didn’t need to keep cutting away at things in my life?
The Lord continues to prune away thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and parts of my soul and spirit to make room for new ways of thinking and believing.
People are pruned out of my life.
Behaviors are pruned away and so much more.
As such, there is always something I have to leave behind but don’t feel ready to leave behind yet.
I understand the reasons for pruning, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
There are times I wish I could sit with the old just a little while longer.
Our passage says the Lord “repeatedly prunes every branch”.
The process will continue for as long as we are here on this planet.
Interestingly, grape vines do not mature until their third year.
And in the first year seventy-five to eighty percent of the wood is pruned away to make room for the kind of growth that will be necessary for a more mature plant.
That’s a huge amount of wood to be pruned away as a young vine.
Imagine the Lord pruning away seventy-five to eighty percent of our inner core.
This is a huge overhaul which is why I think it takes a while for the Lord to prepare us for His use.
Pruning the grapevine is a constant process to make sure there isn’t an overgrowth of foliage which would prevent the fruit from growing.
If I compare this analogy to us, I see that the Lord has to continue to prune the excess out of our lives so that we can bear more and better fruit.
My perception of pruning changes from not just allowing the Lord to prune the excess off but to asking the Lord for it.
Today I choose to ask the Lord to show me what needs to be pruned out of my life to make room for more excellent fruit to grow.
May you find the Lord continues to prune the old from your life to make way for the new in your life.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me You are pruning the excess from my life to make way for better and more rich fruit. Help me easily give up the things You ask me to give up. Don’t let me hold too tightly to anything that is not beneficial for me to hold onto. Help me let go knowing You have something better for me. Help me welcome in the new with grace and joy. Help me see the beauty in letting go even if I do not see it’s replacement yet. May You continue to work on me, mold me, and shape me into the person You desire me to be. Change my heart and soul to serve You in the highest and best way I am able. Continue to chip away at the old and dead things in my life, Lord. Thank You for choosing me to know You and love You. Help me bless someone this day. Thank you for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM pruning the old My child, to make way for all the new things I have planned.
Response: Thank You, Maker of my heart and soul.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.