“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.” —Jesus (John 15)
When we read the word “prunes” we think cutting. And, if you’re like me, you know what cutting can feel like. Painful… wounding… sometimes even leading me to question whether God really has my best interests in mind.
But the Greek word for “prunes” also means “cleans.” Maybe He’s cutting, too, but let’s not over-emphasize the pain part and remember that His goal is cleaning us—so that we can be more of who we were designed to be… and more fruitful.
Fruitful meaning that we shine, we reflect the nature of the vine, and we offer our gift to the world around us.
If you feel like you’re being rinsed, scrubbed, or even cut, don’t be discouraged. There’s more life, more fruit, more impact on the other side.