Pruned or Cut Off?

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:1-8 NIV)

What is your first reaction when you face trials or difficulties in this life?  Is it, "Sweet!  I wonder how God's going to use this to help me grow up!"  Probably not.  It's not something we thinking about when troubles come our way.  It's not something preachers talk about much because it doesn't "preach well."  But this is one of the most basic Christian experiences that every Christ-follower will experience.  Trouble prepares us for growth.

When I was younger, I would watch my grandma use her "green thumb" to care for plants, bushes, and trees.  She would carefully, meticulously go around from plant to plant and check the soil for water.  She would remove dead leaves and, in some cases, use her snips to cut off the ends of branches that needed a little pruning.  To this day I don't completely understand her process or the logic behind which branch got pruned and which was left to grow on its own.  I did, however, see the results: growth.  All the foliage under her care seemed to blossom under her watchful eye.  She knew what she was doing.

When I face trials of many kinds, I find myself wanting to ask questions like, "Why?" and "Is God mad at me?"  I've learned over time, though, that when I remain in Jesus the hurt is at the level of a pruning.  When I walk away from God completely, it hurts like I've been cut off.  When He "prunes" me, there's always recognizable growth afterward.  I don't completely understand why he chooses to "prune" some "branches" in my life while allowing others to grow untouched.  But I have learned to trust the results.  My life blossoms under His watchful care.  He knows what He's doing.