On Pruning

In John 15, Jesus promises that if we remain in Him and He in us, we will be sustained, but also pruned. What does it mean that the Lord has special plans for us and has special plans to create new life by pruning?

Promises of John 15:

Jesus is the vine

We are branches

Jesus will sustain us

The Father will prune us

The pruning will be specific

The pruning might not make sense (If the Lord wants to prune drug abuse, duh. But what if he wants to rid you of fallacies of identity? I professor; therefore I am? Or, I electrician; therefore I am? Or I pastor; therefore I am? No, your identity is tied up in the sustenance, nutrients, and place in the world of the trunk.)

The pruning might be completely unique (Almost every person’s story in the Bible is new and unique. Only one burning bush. Only one flood. Only one battle with Jezebel. Only one lion’s den. Only one Ninevah. Only one angel who appears to a virgin. Only one road to Damascus.)

The pruning might be painful. (But, let’s be honest, it will be.)

If all of these assumptions are true, we don’t need to doubt that we are being pruned, that his heart for us is good, that we are going to come forth as pure gold. The people who leave and do not remain do not get pruned. It’s actually way more painful to stay.

And if all of these things are true, when we see friends being pruned, it will look different than your pruning. Nevertheless, we should stand beside them and cheer them on in faith, without judgment. That we would be cheerleaders of, “Abide! Remain!”