Pruning Season
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” –John 15:1-4 NLT
I’ve been in this passage for months. Earlier this year, I really felt the Holy Spirit say to us that we were entering a pruning season. When He spoke this to us, I didn’t like it. Who likes to be pruned? Just the thought of it seems painful. It wasn’t long after that, as I kept reading the passage, that some truths were revealed.
So here are the things I’ve come to know over these last few months, and I hope they help you.
1. Yes, healthy things grow, but the only thing that grows out of control is weeds.
John 15 opens with Jesus saying that our Father is a gardener. I don’t know how many gardeners you know, but the ones I know are intentional and meticulous. They prune for health, balance for beauty, and remove what doesn’t belong. Nothing is left to chance. Every cut is done with care and vision.
Our Father is the gardener, and He is one that prunes us. Most of our exhaustion stems from America's constant need to add to our plate. We never stop anything. From our time to our money, the fear of missing out has cultivated a growing mindset that we can never rest.
This has found its way into church also. We grow, grow, and grow more without ever considering that the way of the Kingdom has always been to grow and grow to get pruned.
2. Make no mistake, pruning is correction.
Look, I don’t know why, but we find it hard to admit that we need correction. I think it’s my pride. I like to say He is pruning me, cutting us back, getting things in order – anything other than correction. But the truth is that correction is beautiful.
“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” –Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT
Did you see it? God’s corrections and discipline in our lives is evidence He is treating us like his kids. Not only that, but his discipline will produce His fruit in our lives.
When I read this in the context of John 15, it changed my perspective. I started to realize that God was correcting me, slowing me down so He could touch things in my life. That pruning wasn’t a bad season, but it could be a painful one.
The motivation behind the pruning was that I was His son and He loved me. This has really helped me. The correction is not fun, but it produces joy in our lives. Joy, not happiness. My pursuit of happiness is what can get me in trouble. Happiness is not bad in and of itself; but when it is my pursuit, then it will destroy the flow of joy in my life.
3. He is the one that prunes; my job is to abide.
What I soon realized is that I could simply cut things; and in turn, I would cause more damage than good. From this, I came to the realization that He is one who prunes, not me. My job was to abide in Him.
I’ve been very open about taking a year off from travel to speak and help at other churches. When He revealed this to Lauren, myself, and our leadership, I didn’t understand why. I thought I did, but I’ve come to know that God was making time for me to abide with Him.
For the longest time, I thought I was being cut back for all kinds of reasons: because I’d failed, I wasn’t enough, or I needed fixing. But what I’ve come to realize is that the deepest reason God prunes me is because He wants to be close to me. He wants me to slow down and stop running on empty. Not so I can do more, but so I can know Him more. The pruning isn’t a punishment. It’s an invitation to intimacy.
What I thought was bringing me joy was actually what would end up hurting me. I had lost the pure joy of simply “being” with Him instead of “doing” for Him.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been tested in this over these last few months, but I’m finally detoxed enough from the unhealthy rhythm that I can see the benefit. More fruit will come; but when it does, I pray that I always remember this season and the lessons learned: He always wants me more than He wants me to do, I need to be pruned regularly, and the pruning is evidence He is treating me like His child.
One last thought: the fruit that will come won’t be crowds, more people, greater influence, or a bigger church. That has never been His goal. It was the last thingI thought it was. The fruit that both John and Hebrews speaks to is the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” –Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
All the other stuff really doesn’t matter if I don’t have Him and He doesn’t have me. I’ve come to know Him in a greater way because I said “yes” to his pruning.
Say "yes." You won’t regret it.
I’ve been in this passage for months. Earlier this year, I really felt the Holy Spirit say to us that we were entering a pruning season. When He spoke this to us, I didn’t like it. Who likes to be pruned? Just the thought of it seems painful. It wasn’t long after that, as I kept reading the passage, that some truths were revealed.
So here are the things I’ve come to know over these last few months, and I hope they help you.
1. Yes, healthy things grow, but the only thing that grows out of control is weeds.
John 15 opens with Jesus saying that our Father is a gardener. I don’t know how many gardeners you know, but the ones I know are intentional and meticulous. They prune for health, balance for beauty, and remove what doesn’t belong. Nothing is left to chance. Every cut is done with care and vision.
Our Father is the gardener, and He is one that prunes us. Most of our exhaustion stems from America's constant need to add to our plate. We never stop anything. From our time to our money, the fear of missing out has cultivated a growing mindset that we can never rest.
This has found its way into church also. We grow, grow, and grow more without ever considering that the way of the Kingdom has always been to grow and grow to get pruned.
2. Make no mistake, pruning is correction.
Look, I don’t know why, but we find it hard to admit that we need correction. I think it’s my pride. I like to say He is pruning me, cutting us back, getting things in order – anything other than correction. But the truth is that correction is beautiful.
“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” –Hebrews 12:5-11 NLT
Did you see it? God’s corrections and discipline in our lives is evidence He is treating us like his kids. Not only that, but his discipline will produce His fruit in our lives.
When I read this in the context of John 15, it changed my perspective. I started to realize that God was correcting me, slowing me down so He could touch things in my life. That pruning wasn’t a bad season, but it could be a painful one.
The motivation behind the pruning was that I was His son and He loved me. This has really helped me. The correction is not fun, but it produces joy in our lives. Joy, not happiness. My pursuit of happiness is what can get me in trouble. Happiness is not bad in and of itself; but when it is my pursuit, then it will destroy the flow of joy in my life.
3. He is the one that prunes; my job is to abide.
What I soon realized is that I could simply cut things; and in turn, I would cause more damage than good. From this, I came to the realization that He is one who prunes, not me. My job was to abide in Him.
I’ve been very open about taking a year off from travel to speak and help at other churches. When He revealed this to Lauren, myself, and our leadership, I didn’t understand why. I thought I did, but I’ve come to know that God was making time for me to abide with Him.
For the longest time, I thought I was being cut back for all kinds of reasons: because I’d failed, I wasn’t enough, or I needed fixing. But what I’ve come to realize is that the deepest reason God prunes me is because He wants to be close to me. He wants me to slow down and stop running on empty. Not so I can do more, but so I can know Him more. The pruning isn’t a punishment. It’s an invitation to intimacy.
What I thought was bringing me joy was actually what would end up hurting me. I had lost the pure joy of simply “being” with Him instead of “doing” for Him.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been tested in this over these last few months, but I’m finally detoxed enough from the unhealthy rhythm that I can see the benefit. More fruit will come; but when it does, I pray that I always remember this season and the lessons learned: He always wants me more than He wants me to do, I need to be pruned regularly, and the pruning is evidence He is treating me like His child.
One last thought: the fruit that will come won’t be crowds, more people, greater influence, or a bigger church. That has never been His goal. It was the last thingI thought it was. The fruit that both John and Hebrews speaks to is the Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” –Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
All the other stuff really doesn’t matter if I don’t have Him and He doesn’t have me. I’ve come to know Him in a greater way because I said “yes” to his pruning.
Say "yes." You won’t regret it.
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