Presented by Julie Busteed

Do you like to work in the garden? I love to see the results of all the work—planting, watering, weeding and pruning. In John 15, Jesus teaches the Father is the gardener who lovingly tends the vine. Part of that tending is pruning. Pruning is essential to the life of a vine, and Scripture uses that imagery to help us understand our own life with Christ.

In a vineyard, pruning renews the vine and shapes it. Without pruning, a vine grows wild. It will produce many shoots and leaves but far fewer grapes. The gardener cuts back healthy branches—not to harm the vine, but to help it focus its energy so it can thrive. Pruning makes room for new growth and greater fruitfulness.

Pruning happens when the vine is dormant, after the harvest season. Even in dormancy, the vine is still alive and still supplying what the branches need. This resting period isn’t wasted time; it’s preparation. The vine is strengthening its core, preserving its energy, and getting ready for the next season of growth and fruitfulness.

In the same way, God prunes us. Seasons of pruning might feel like cutting back, slowing down, or letting go. God may remove distractions, attitudes, habits, or commitments that keep us from bearing fruit. Sometimes he even prunes good things so better things can grow. These seasons can feel quiet—almost dormant—but God is still at work, nourishing, shaping, and preparing us.

Pruning is so important because it leads to even greater fruit. Jesus says, every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2). Pruning isn’t punishment—it’s intentional care from a Father who wants our lives to flourish. When we remain connected to Christ, the true Vine, we can trust his pruning is purposeful. It clears away what hinders us, renews us, and positions us for greater growth in the seasons to come.

For the Christian, pruning is a mark of God’s love and his desire to make our lives fruitful, meaningful, and deeply rooted in him. When we stay connected to Christ, every season—even the dormant ones—becomes part of his transforming work in us.

Joseph’s life in the Old Testament is a powerful picture of pruning before fruitfulness. He endured deep hardship—sold into slavery by his own brothers, then falsely accused and imprisoned. Yet through every season of suffering, God was shaping his character and preparing him for a greater purpose. In time, Joseph was elevated to second-in-command under Pharaoh, where he used his God-given wisdom to save Egypt and ultimately rescue the very family who had betrayed him. His story reminds us seasons of pruning often precede seasons of remarkable fruit.

May you and I remain faithful—connected to the true Vine—even during the dormant times. Even when we are being pruned. Because God is a loving Gardner and is doing this for even greater fruit in our lives.