There are probably a few things in our lives that just might need to be pruned before we can produce rich and abundant fruit. What needs to be pruned in your life? (Yes… I know you don’t like this question!).

As God prunes us, I find it’s the small cuts that hurt the most, attitudes, lack of joy, selfishness, bitterness.

We can almost feel the pruning sheers cutting off our evil judgments aimed at those we don’t “get” or don’t understand. The deep cutting away of jealousy and prejudice are hard to bear when they are sliced raw and laid wide open!

Maybe you’re weighed down with resentments, with anger and that awful feeling of “why me?” Maybe you express this by being argumentative or have a sharp, bitter tongue.

Max Lucado says, “God loves us the way we are, but loves us too much to allow us to stay that way.”

As a Christian, I want God to create, to form and shape my attitudes and desires. The more He prunes me the more I can be like Him. When I let God prune me I am yielding to the cutting away of religious and self protective rights that are simply created with my very own brand of willfulness.

Our pruning must be intense and thorough in order for us to grow in God’s character. Jesus spoke these deep words to us about pruning.

“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).

Just like a plant is subjected to pruning during a specific season in order to bud, bloom and bear more fruit, seasons of testing come to us in life and are absolutely necessary to help develop of our spiritual gifts.

During these times it seems as if the best that we have produced gets stripped away from us! God is allowing fruitful areas of our lives and ministries to be cut back, in order for us to focus in a more significant way and be even more fruitful for His Kingdom.

It is super important to recognise that God is at work during the pruning season. He is refining both your character and your gift. How you respond during this season is very important!

No matter what you have done, no matter what people have done to you, and no matter what the enemy has done against you, God is faithfully working ‘all things together for your good.’

“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor,” Isiah 61:3.

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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