Lessons from Grapes

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. My Father examines every branch in Me and cuts away those who do not bear fruit. He leaves those bearing fruit and carefully prunes them so that they will bear more fruit; already you are clean because you have heard My voice. Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. A branch cannot bear fruit if it is disconnected from the vine, and neither will you if you are not connected to Me." (John 15:1-4, The Voice)

Have you ever in your life been constantly confronted with a passage of Scripture over and over again? Like you read it one day, the next day you hear it on the radio, the next day you hear people discussing it, the next day you find out that you've actually been living it! That was my story very recently.

At that time, I had been experiencing the most excruciating pain in my entire life as a result of giving up something that I held so dear to my heart. But the passage that always recurred in my life had been John 15, the parable of the Vine and the Branches. Especially verse 2 where Jesus says "My Father examines every branch in Me [Jesus] and cuts away those who do not bear fruit. He leaves those bearing fruit and carefully prunes them so that they will bear more fruit;" I had felt God's pruning in my life then.

Trials of any kind, whether it be moving somewhere, the loss of a family member/friend, or when you are called to sacrifice something so dear to your heart, are definitely not easy, and sometimes they can even hurt so much that you can barely move! But rejoice! Even though it may seem like there is no point to your pain, remember that God is pruning you to bear even more fruit!

God is glorified while you go through pain, not because you go through it. God is allowing this pain in your life right now for your benefit. He has in mind what is best for you, and is now shaping you to be the best you can be. God is the Master Vinedresser, let Him prune you!