September 30, 2011
"Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:2).
I've seen my daddy prune our fruit trees many times. He cuts back a certain amount of the growth so that the tree will grow better and produce more fruit. At first after he has pruned the trees they look bare and almost ugly, but as spring comes on full force and the trees begin to blossom, all the former ugliness is hidden. Even forgotten.
Many times in the last few years I've felt God's hands as He prunes away at my life. I don't like it. It hurts. I feel like hiding away so that no one can see scars that prove how sinful I have been and how much pruning the Lord has had to do in my life. But just like spring brings the blossoms to hide the ugliness of the pruned fruit trees, so God's grace settles about me and moments of spring come to my life as my faith and trust grow in the Father who loves me enough to cause me a little pain now so that I can reap greater joys tomorrow.
This reminds me of 1 Thessalonians 5:16 & 18. "Rejoice always...in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
Sometimes all we can think about is the pain of God pruning away our sinfulness, and we are blinded to the big picture. God is cutting away our sin so that we can be drawn ever nearer to Him. Next time we feel the sting of God's pruning shears cutting away at our lives, lets remember the big picture and rejoice, for our God, He is good!
No comments:
Post a Comment