Devotionals for the Heart: When God puts you through a pruning process

The Pruning Process
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“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 NIV

Despite the crowds, the stress, and the long lines, I’m like a kid in a candy store when I arrive at Costco.

First, I grab a cart and make a beeline for the snack aisle for a case of Skinny Pop popcorn and graham crackers. Then, I head to the deli department to select one $5 rotisserie chicken. After I size up the birds and put the plumpest in my cart, I let up on the gas and people-watch as I glance around for the last-minute purchases that catch my eye.

This time of year, truckloads of fall mums arrive in vibrant maroon, yellow, orange, and pink. The one I purchased sits on my balcony, and its neon pink and orange blossoms are the perfect backdrop against the stunning sunset. Even though I watered it thoroughly and gave it lots of sunlight, the blossoms dried up. Surprisingly, it wasn’t dying as I suspected; it just needed pruning to divert energy away from the dead buds into creating new ones.

In today’s anchor text above (John 15:1-2), Jesus Christ gave His twelve disciples a final sermon. He used a gardening metaphor to describe the importance of growing spiritually and drawing strength from Him—the true vine. He told them that He was setting them apart to bear fruit. For that to happen, pruning was essential. His ultimate concern for them and us is the condition of our hearts.

Like the branches in Christ’s story, we’re all unique, and our pruning won’t look the same. He will prune us differently. This is a process where we surrender to Him, knowing that He is up to something good in our lives.

Throughout my life, I’ve witnessed God’s pruning process. Sometimes, He has removed friendships I prioritized over Him. Other times, He asked me to part with a bad habit that distracted me. God also dealt with my attitudes that grieved Him. It was never a pleasant experience, but in hindsight, I was grateful that He loved me enough to take my spiritual growth to the next level.

My mum plant is blooming today because I took the time to remove the dead flowers that were stunting its growth. In the same way, Jesus wants to remove the fruitless areas of our lives so we grow to our full potential, experience a deeper walk with Him, and pursue His kingdom above our own.

Whatever keeps you from thriving in your relationship with Jesus, let Him remove it. The beauty you see in yourself afterward will be worth it.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Father,

So many things in life clamor for my attention that I sometimes give you less time than You deserve. Please forgive me for setting my heart on lesser things. Align my desires with Yours and do whatever is necessary to help me flourish spiritually so I follow you more closely and do the kingdom work you’ve prepared for me to do. In Jesus’s Name, I pray, Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Pruning” by Tehillah Worship. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their ‘best of’ spread. 

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about her cocker spaniel Gigi was published in Mysterious Ways by Guideposts. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Sarah's devotionals have been published in David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour and Devotions, The Secret Place by Judson Press, and Pray a Word a Day by Guideposts. Her short story will be featured in an upcoming book, Too Amazing For Coincidence, also to be published by Guideposts. To this day, Sarah smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she's not writing, she's enjoying her hobbies that include dog sitting, watching cooking shows and taking day trips.

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