Anyone familiar with gardening knows that proper and timely pruning is essential. The health of the plant depends upon it. An unpruned tree can quickly produce suckers that zap many of the essential nutrients from its body. Pruning requires patience and vision.
Studies reveal that plants often respond defensively to being pruned, displaying reactions that are similar to hurt or discomfort. Pruning is not easy, but necessary. A hard lesson for us to learn is that we also need to be pruned.
We become far healthier when we allow God to stretch, refine, and form us into the best version of ourselves. he fruit that then comes from our vines will be more abundant, nutritious, and robust.
Left to our own devices, we can easily find ourselves running amuck and spiraling out of control. Without a proper vision and trust in the Master Pruner, we will never find the contentment we desperately desire. Nor will the work of the Gospel stand a chance of succeeding.