Look at John 15:1-2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 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.” Imagine being a vine as it’s pruned. How does it feel? The gardener doesn’t gently massage the vine; he uses sharp shears. And pruning is painful. If you’re being pruned, your reaction might be, “Ow! Stop!” That’s what it feels like to be shaped and refined. Jesus says, if you bear fruit, he will prune you so you can bear even more fruit. Sometimes, we go through life feeling the pain—”Ow! Ow!”—and it’s because of our own mistakes. As John Wayne famously said, “Life is tough. It’s tougher if you’re stupid.” But other times, we’re faithful, doing exactly what God has called us to do, yet still facing suffering, challenges, and pain. We wonder, “God, where are you?” And his answer is, “I’m right here. I love you so much that I’m pruning you.”
