I read this from a daily devotional I have this morning and wanted to share because it applies to everything in our lives, including relationships.
"He Purgeth It."
Listen: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (Jn 15:2) There's a time for planting and a time for pruning. Perhaps God is at work in your life today taking away branches that don't belong, and pruning ones that do. What kind of things does God take away? Things that have served their purpose. Things that refuse to change. Things that will give you trouble later on. Things that stand in the way of greater fruitfulness. Things that are holding you back. Things He has not chosen for you.
Have you ever seen a newly pruned tree? Doesn't look too good, does it? And when God starts to cut back certain things in your life in order to re-direct your energies, you won't look too good either. Sometimes this means: (a) having fewer things for a while; (b) letting go of things you thought would always be there; (c) being unable to explain to others why you're even going through the pruning process.
God knows what needs to be cut back in your life; He also knows what needs to be cut off. Trust Him. Even though you can't understand what He's doing, just pray. "Lord, if I needed it You would let me keep it, so I open my hand to You today. Send whoever You will and take away whoever You will. I'll praise You when they come and I'll praise you when they go, because Your approval is my reward, and Your purpose is my reason to live."
I read this from a daily devotional I have this morning and wanted to share because it applies to everything in our lives, including relationships.
"He Purgeth It."
Listen: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (Jn 15:2) There's a time for planting and a time for pruning. Perhaps God is at work in your life today taking away branches that don't belong, and pruning ones that do. What kind of things does God take away? Things that have served their purpose. Things that refuse to change. Things that will give you trouble later on. Things that stand in the way of greater fruitfulness. Things that are holding you back. Things He has not chosen for you.
Have you ever seen a newly pruned tree? Doesn't look too good, does it? And when God starts to cut back certain things in your life in order to re-direct your energies, you won't look too good either. Sometimes this means: (a) having fewer things for a while; (b) letting go of things you thought would always be there; (c) being unable to explain to others why you're even going through the pruning process.
God knows what needs to be cut back in your life; He also knows what needs to be cut off. Trust Him. Even though you can't understand what He's doing, just pray. "Lord, if I needed it You would let me keep it, so I open my hand to You today. Send whoever You will and take away whoever You will. I'll praise You when they come and I'll praise you when they go, because Your approval is my reward, and Your purpose is my reason to live."
John 15:2
-- Edited by sanddie at 09:25, 2005-09-04