Spiritual prunning

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit. (John 15:5)

A good gardener can seem like a surgeon sometimes: meticulously careful in his goal of removing anything that is a threat to his plantings. He is completely dedicated to making his roses even more beautiful or his grapes more delicious. 

Imagine the kind of pruning Jesus, the master Gardener, had to do with Paul. In the days immediately following his conversion, Paul proved needed a lot of work! On fire with his new-found faith, he debated so forcefully with the Jews in Damascus that they tried to kill him. Even the disciples were afraid of him (Acts 9:26-29)! The situation became so drastic that the apostles decided to send Paul back home to Tarsus for a while. They could tell that some time away from all the action would do him good. 

This story shows us two ways that God likes to prune us. First, there is quiet time spent with the Lord. Paul spent a number of years in Tarsus praying, studying the Scriptures, and examining his heart. During this time of retreat, he gave the Holy Spirit the opportunity to soften his rough edges, reveal the gospel to him more clearly, and prepare him for his future ministry. The same holds true for us. By sitting quietly before the Lord in prayer, we give the Spirit the opportunity to prune us and form us.

Another way God prunes us is through the steps we take in our walk with him, whether we are sharing our faith or trying to serve our family. As Saul preached, he came to see how argumentative he was. He learned from his mistakes, and over time he learned the art of being both passionate and compassionate in his preaching. 

So keep stepping out in faith, but be sure also to keep listening to the Lord in the quiet of your prayer. Let him prune you, and you’ll find yourself bearing more and more fruit for his kingdom!

“Come, Holy Spirit, and make me more like Jesus!”

from wau.org