This period of our life is being referred to as a Divine Disruption, and I couldn’t agree more. Life as we know it has radically changed, and it’s very unlikely we will go back to the way things we were. On the surface, disruption can take on a negative connotation and for those of us who do not like change, it is not only frustrating but highly disheartening. As Christians, we recognize however that a Divine Disruption is meant to truly be the opposite. It is an opportunity to return to God, find rest and be encouraged for the future. It is a much-needed break from the chaos our lifestyles have become.
However, I believe there is more going on than just a Divine Disruption. This is a period of Divine Pruning. Let me explain.
Anyone who has even a little bit of a green thumb knows that pruning is necessary for a healthy harvest. Pruning is the process of removing dead branches and selected parts of a plant, often removing overgrowth and even live branches or plant shoots to control growth, remove diseased areas and to stimulate the production of flowers and fruit. Did you get that last word? To stimulate the production of fruit.
We are called to glorify God. And we do that by bearing fruit.
At the close of the Last Supper, In John 15, Jesus shares a parable with His disciples that has forever changed my idea of what is really going on right now. And it’s even more important that he shared it at the Last Supper, hours before His death. In this parable Jesus explains that we can only bear fruit by abiding in Him because He is the vine and we are the branches; without Him we can do nothing. It is only in union with Christ that we can bear fruit and glorify God. And to bear fruit we must be pruned.
Throughout the Bible, we are reminded that God is likened to a gardener who prunes those He loves so they can bear more fruit. The Israelites experienced this as a society in Exodus 16 when they found themselves ‘lost’ in the desert for 40 years. They were beyond challenged and, on many occasions,, they wanted to give up and turn around.
Doesn’t that sound familiar? When times get tough, don’t we want to turn around and go back to the safe way of doing things. What we know. What we are comfortable with. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say (and I myself have even said it), “I can’t wait till we can go back to normal”. But our idea of normal is not what God wants for us and we should resist the temptation to go back. When you feel worried or fearful of the future, Satan whispers in your ear to go back, give up and stick to the old way of living. Just like Satan tempted the Israelites in the desert to go back to Egypt. And then again when Satan tempted Jesus to give up His death on the cross.
But Jesus taught us, that it is through our trials and suffering, where we experience the most intense growth and life. “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered” Hebrews 5:8
Are you being pruned right now? Is God cutting away the lifeless in your life? One way to know whether this is truly a pruning process (good old-fashioned discipline) is to ask yourself whether you are experiencing an intense sense of loss. You may feel lost, or simply have lost something or someone. And if that is the case, then its highly likely God is pruning you right now. Pruning is painful. And it’s not pretty. But contrary to what we think, pruning is not punitive, it is restorative. Pruning removes the suckers of sin that drain your vitality and allows the fruit of the spirit in you to flourish and grow. You should take heart, because if you are being pruned, then you are highly loved by God.
The life of a Christian is all about Glorifying God. And I’ve asked myself on many occasions what this really means. As always, I found my answer in scripture. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” John 15:8 Jesus instructed us to glorify God by bearing fruit, so it only expected that if we truly want to glorify God and be His disciples, then at some point in our life we will experience pruning.
So, in this season of intense pruning, I hope this brings you peace knowing that God does love you, more than you could ever imagine. And if you continue to abide in Him and keep your eyes on the prize, in time you will reap a plentiful harvest. Rest in this promise and know that the testing of your faith proves its genuineness 1 Peter 1:6-7.
Refocus without retreating. You are being pruned because you are succeeding.
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