God has been speaking to my heart lately about pruning seasons. So, many times we relate it to “storms” or “trials” we face in life… but sometimes those seasons are just that; a storm that you have to weather made from decisions you’ve made or circumstances beyond your control. But what He’s been showing me concerning pruning is a completely different matter that many don’t like to talk about…

John 15:1-4 AMP

1 “ I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. 4 Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.

See here He is talking about followers of Jesus that either produce fruit or don’t produce fruit. If you don’t produce fruit, its simple the branch is considered dead and cut off. But for those who do produce fruit it’s not the end for you. You don’t get a pat on the back and sent on your merry way. See even though you are serving Christ and working for the Kingdom of God and doing your part… there is still a work in progress going on. God knows in order for you to keep being productive that you have to be PRUNED. And according to the Amplified Bible its not just a one and done pruning process… it’s a repeated process. This will continue as long as you are a fleshly human being living on this earth, there will still be areas that need to be cut back and tended too.

The closer to Jesus we get, the more pruning we need. He represents all that is Holy, pure, righteous, spotless, and without blemish. So, the closer we get the more flesh that needs to be cut away. Our lives should be summed up as a never ending journey of getting closer to Jesus!

So, what does pruning look like? Just like when I trim back my rose bushes, I cut off all the dead blooms and any bad leaves on my bushes so that in just a little while it will begin to produce a completely new round of beautiful blooms. It’s the same with spiritual pruning. Jesus sees the places in our hearts & minds that are hidden, even places we try hard to ignore. He’s sees them and like any good gardener, He has to cut it out. When He sees too much of our “desires” getting in the way of our calling, He trims it. When He sees too much of our “religious ideas” getting in the way of our purpose, He trims it. When He sees too much “self” getting in the way of pursuing Him, He cuts it. But there is one ingredient that has to happen first in this process…

SURRENDER… You have to be in a relationship with Jesus that He has the place to cut out these places in our lives. He’s not going to come hold you down and take a machete to you… We have to willing come to Him and allow Him to keep cutting back anything in us that would hinder us from going forward in Him!

Matthew 16:24-26 TPT

24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways. 25For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep. 26For even if you were to gain all the wealth and power of this world—at the cost of your own life—what good would that be? And what could be more valuable to you than your own soul?

So, we all really have to ask ourselves this question… When is the last time you went through a true pruning season with the Lord. I myself have been in one where I have had to step back and let the Lord have space to speak to me and cut the areas that needed to be cut. This is a tough process… nothing that involves cutting your will, desires, and self is ever going to be fun. But that is part of dying to yourself so that He can lead you and use your life for His will! It’s a beautiful exchange!!!

As true followers of Jesus this isn’t a once and done process. Many believe “oh I had an encounter with the Lord 20 years ago & He changed me”… that’s beautiful and we are all so thankful for our salvation experience. But we should be maturing through the years and to mature and be a tree that is large and fruitful… there must be pruning and care involved.

To live a true life that is NOT MOVED we must get alone with the Lord and let Him reveal to us the places we need to let go of! He wants us to be vibrant and full of zeal for Him, not just barely getting by! So, today commit to allowing the Lord to take you through this process… I promise you won’t be disappointed on the other side! Remember, It’s a BEAUTIFUL EXCHANGE!