“I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] 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.” John 15:1-2 AMP

Sometimes, we find ourselves in a difficult situation and we tend to think it’s because we are being punished for something. One reason for this rationale is that we are human, and with our human, worldly minds, we believe that only good things will happen to us if we always do what’s right. God called us to do what is right because it is good for us in the long run but that does not guarantee a lifetime free of hardship. God reminded me today that He often takes each of us through a “pruning process” in order to help us continue in our fruitfulness and to fulfill His awesome plan. This may not be what you expected when you initially signed up to follow Christ, but it’s all beneficial in the end. Even for the more “seasoned saints,” it’s easy to forget that we all have a cross to bear as we adjust our lives to live right, but the weight of the cross can seem heavier on some days than others. In the verses above, we note that God is not pruning or cutting away just from the fruitless branches. He is also cutting away and removing things from the ones that are actually doing what they are supposed to do. If we read further, we see His reason for doing this is to help the plant bear more excellent fruit. So, we can be safe to assume that pruning is just a process that prepares us for the next level of excellence in Christ. It’s the gateway to “better.”

Prune [pronounced as proon]: The cutting and removing of parts of a fruit tree. It controls growth, removes dead or diseased wood, and stimulates the formation of flowers and fruit buds. 

Pruning  usually involves cutting back branches, sometimes removing smaller limbs entirely (not allowing things to grow wildly or excessively). Careful attention to pruning and training young trees affects their later productivity and longevity.

So if we apply this pruning process to the human experience, one may identify with things like ending a friendship, losing a loved one, financial hardship, health issues, or a difficult employer. Regardless of what the situation is, God uses these hard times to cut away at things within us that are hindering our character and spiritual growth. One thing I learned about the pruning process is that  when done correctly, it can also prevent later injury from weakness caused by the weight of fruit, snow, or ice on the branches. God knows what else is coming down the road for you, so He uses this process often to get you ready to handle your next chapter. Whether it’s the weight of more fruit (success) or snow and ice (trouble), God has a plan to help us carry the load if we continue to depend on Him. I guarantee that without Him we will eventually become weakened by our sinful human nature and the weight of life will eventually cause us to break.

According to verse 2, the pruning process happens “repeatedly” in our lives. This process ensures that no dead thing will grow in us that will strangle our fruit. It’s critical that this process happens periodically throughout the lifetime of the plant because when left unattended, the fruit can be attacked by insects, disease, or weeds. For humans, things like pride and haughtiness, can stifle our ability to continually produce fruit. God knows me well enough to know that if I only went through the process once and was successful from that point on without any further difficulty, I would eventually start to think that everything I accomplished was the “fruit” of my own labor. God would gradually become less important to me. It may not sound right, but it’s true. How often do we pray when things are going terribly in our lives in comparison to when things are going great?

I like God’s analogy of fruitfulness to describe our prosperity in Him. We often confuse this term with wealth and success, but that is not the only sign of fruitfulness. The Bible talks about the “Fruit of the Spirit” which includes things like joy, peace, love, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). When we think of actual fruit, we think of freshness, satisfaction, something appealing to the eye and nourishing. If you happen to see some fresh fruit, especially if you’re really hungry, you may become instantly drawn to it. That is how Christians are supposed to live. The world is desperate for nourishment and we have the answer through the love of God and the truth of His word. We are supposed be so attractive in our temperament and character that people should be drawn to us and begin to desire what we have. But according to the passage, we have to abide in God first and allow the pruning process to keep us grounded and connected to the Vine in order to remain fruitful. So I encourage you to maintain your joy even when things aren’t going as well as you would like. Keep doing the right thing and don’t allow yourself to become discouraged. God is a careful and loving gardener who will take care of you and make sure that you prosper as long as you remain connected to Him.

“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.” Galatians 6: 9 NLT

“You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you…But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!”  John 15:3 and John 15:7 NLT