READ: JOHN 15:1-17

Have you ever seen someone prune a tree or another plant—or done some pruning yourself? Pruning involves cutting off part of a plant so there can be new growth. As a gardener clips, cuts, or saws off branches, sometimes it looks like they’re trying to harm the plant rather than help it. But pruning is an important part of helping trees and other plants grow and flourish. For example, if you strategically cut a few branches off a fruit tree, the tree will put more energy into creating fruit, making the fruit plentiful and better tasting. If you cut a stem off a basil plant in the right spot, two more stems will grow in its place, producing more basil. And if you lop off the top of a bush, it won’t just grow taller, it will also fill in more foliage near the ground.

Just as a skillful gardener knows when and how to prune, God also prunes us. In John 15, Jesus says He is the vine, we are the branches, and the Father prunes us. Sometimes God cuts things out of our lives to help us grow the way we’re meant to. He may remove an idol—something we had been putting our trust in rather than Jesus, such as wealth, strength, success, or the approval of others—so we can learn to rely on Him for all our needs. Or maybe He’ll allow a favorite activity to be canceled so we’ll have time to hang out with someone who needs a friend. Or He may even allow the loss of a relationship that was hindering our spiritual growth.

Pruning may be painful at times, but God does it because He loves us. Jesus died and rose again to save us and graft us into His family tree (Romans 11:17-24). Pruning is one of the ways God cares for us. He is helping us learn to trust Him more, and He is transforming us to become more and more like Jesus. Whenever God prunes something in our lives, we can be sure new growth will flourish in its place. As we look to Jesus, the one who laid down His life for us, we can trust Him to use times of pruning to help us grow in our faith and show His love to others. • A. W. Smith

• In John 15, Jesus says He is the vine, and we are the branches. He calls us to remain, or abide, in Him. What might it look like to press in to relationship with Jesus during times of pruning?

• Have you experienced a loss recently? Not all losses are pruning—some are simply the result of living in a world that has been broken by sin. Consider spending some time talking with Jesus and trusted Christians in your life who can help you discern whether this loss is a work of pruning, or if it’s something else. Also remember that it’s good to lament and tell God how painful a loss is, regardless of why the loss happened. He is always eager to comfort and help us.

“He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.” John 15:2 (CSB)