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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2 ESV)
Life grows like a wild bush at times and at other times seems to wither under the harsh summer sun. There is often much that needs pruning, and while the process can be painful it is necessary.
The two aspects of a strong faith life is that it is lived close to God (close to the vine) and that it is open to be pruned so that it may bear the most fruit.
We do not like to think that our lives need to go through the harsh process of pruning, but things left to grow wild rarely produce the best fruit. No, we need the loving hand of the Father to hone our lives to the proper edge needed for the tasks He puts before us, our ministry in Him.
You may say that you do not have or do not know of the ministry God planned for you. However, this does not mean that it does not exist. Just that God needs the room to trim away everything that is not that ministry, that is not productive to your faith. This can be both painful and fearful for many. But what lies on the other side is a faith that springs to life no longer choked by the weeds of the world.
