Pruning

Okay, I'm gonna warn you.  This is a tough post.  I'm not an expert on anything I'm about to write.  However, I wanted to share a little thought that came my way this week.  I'd love to hear your comments or experiences you may have had with this too!

My brother-in-law sent a text this week to Ricky about John 15 really speaking to him.  So we decided to read it ourselves.  I'm pretty sure we all got a little something different from it.  I've read this passage many times, as well as, heard many messages about it.  This week, something new leaped off the page at me.  It says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." (John 15:1,2)

Have you ever been at a place where you felt like you were finally "getting it right"?  Whether it be with your health, finances, marriage, whatever, it was something you were really putting all your best efforts to line things up with God's plan.  Then, whoosh!  The rug got pulled out from under you.  You're left feeling like things were so much easier not doing things God's way.  Well, I can definitely say I've been there.  Take finances, for example.  I remember a time when Ricky and I really started to get things lined out.  We had made a lot of dumb choices in the past and were determined to live responsibly and tithe intentionally.  Although things turned around quickly for us, it took awhile for the turn around to start.  Another occasion was when we were really beginning to see the plan God had for us with The Well.  It seemed like a matter of days after that we found out that Ricky had a tumor.  Had it been malignant, the doctor would have given him 6 months to year to live!

For most of my life, we've attributed these things to the enemy.  Perhaps you've heard people say, "Well, you must be doing something right for Satan to be attacking you like that!"  While I believe that could well be the case, I'm not so sure it always is.  That's where this scripture comes in.  It's easy to understand when God cuts off the branches in our lives that aren't bearing fruit, but did you catch that He prunes the places that ARE bearing fruit?  I never realized until I read it this week, that some of those set backs that happen to us when we're doing the right thing, might be God getting us further down the road.  It's irony at it's best.  

So if you've found yourself mad and frustrated because you're in a place like this.  Take heart!  Keep at it and don't give up.  God doesn't waste these moments and neither should we.  You're growing!