Good morning!

From a spectator’s viewpoint, one of the most painful processes to watch is someone pruning a bush or a tree. To an untrained eye, the pruning process looks more like whatever is being pruned is getting killed. At the end of the process, it can look more hurt than helped.

The reality is pruning allows specific branches or stems to benefit the whole tree/bush. It even helps produce desired flowers and fruit.

Pruning a plant/tree can save it from slow-moving diseases. Or from dying from insects or decaying organisms entering its system. Pruning prevents this by removing all the dead, damaged, and diseased branches.

John 15:2 tells us that we need to allow God’s Word to prune us spiritually. This helps us thrive by removing the diseased thoughts and intentions lurking within our hearts and minds.

Pruning assistance by the Holy Spirit helps seal us from the demonic infections this world system is rampant with. These spiritual infections can ultimately affect our ability to produce fruit that remains for God’s kingdom (John 15:16).

Remember, letting God prune the things that hinder our spiritual life will always be painful at first. But, in the end, it will make us both healthier and also stronger. Thus, enabling us to run a more successful Christan Race (1 Corinthians 9:24).

Lastly, when we remain tied into God (John 15: 1-11) and His pruning process, it keeps us from becoming dead branches that the Bible says are only good for being thrown in a fire!

May all our spiritual snips and clips on this Monday be to God’s glory!

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow…”