Pruning is Necessary
I was up early, spending my quiet time with God, when I felt Him say, Go work in your garden. I was a bit surprised, but then I remembered why I’d started the garden in the first place—it was to create a space where I could hear Him speak to me.
When I walked outside, I saw quite a bit of work that needed to be done. The first thing that caught my eye was the blackberry bush. It was in a large pot, but its branches were sprawling everywhere, as if they had decided overnight to go wild. As I began tying them back, the Holy Spirit guided me. I hesitated, not wanting to break any of the branches, but I felt Him urge me, Pull them a little tighter and wrap them with your tie.
While I worked, He spoke to my heart, saying, You know, I do this with all believers. At times, they feel as if they’re going to break, but I never give them more than they can bear. I know what will bring out the best fruit in them, so I prop them up to prepare them for an abundant harvest.
Next, I moved over to my tangerine tree, which is also in a pot. I hesitated because I knew pruning would be necessary. There was a particular branch that kept the tree from growing straight, but it was heavy with fruit, and I was reluctant to cut it back. I’d known since last year that it needed to be pruned, but I’d waited, hoping to harvest all the fruit before cutting it. When I finally removed the fruit, I’d simply forgotten to prune it.
This time, I heard the Holy Spirit say clearly, Cut it. I moved over, cut the heavy branch, and placed it in the garbage bin. I didn’t try to console myself—I simply thanked it for its service and moved on. Once that branch was gone, the tree looked renewed, almost as if it were saying, Thank you! I propped up the remaining branches, and the whole tree seemed vibrant and joyful.
For years, I’d avoided cutting that branch because it produced so much fruit. But in truth, I was holding the tree back from reaching its full potential. As I worked, I realized that God was speaking to me through this experience. There is a season for everything, and even when something seems fruitful, if God says to let it go, we must listen.
I thought back to my time as the lead facilitator of our Omnigroup. I absolutely loved that role! We had about fourteen women in the group, and every gathering was such a delight. We laughed, prayed, studied, and celebrated together, forming a close-knit family. It was an incredibly inspiring season, but I remember one morning during prayer when I felt the Holy Spirit say, Your time is up.
My heart was saddened; I didn’t want to let go. So I kept leading the group for another six months, but eventually, the Holy Spirit pressed me to step down and leave the group entirely. It was hard, but I did as He said. Even though the group was thriving, God was pruning my tree. Nothing was wrong—it was simply that my season had come to an end, and God was calling me forward.
When God tells us to let go, we must trust Him, because He sees the bigger plan for our lives. When we hold on out of reluctance or fear, we risk missing the blessings He has prepared for us.
Key points:
Pruning has purpose
Do not hold onto something because it is prosperous when God has said your season is up.
Release to his control even when it hurts.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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