Do you sense that God is pruning you and cutting away parts of your life that aren’t bearing fruit? Today, I invite you to join me as I stand on our front stoop, and we’ll talk about the signs that God is pruning you.
Signs That God Is Pruning You
Yesterday, I pruned the Rose of Sharon.
It’s not the season for pruning, but the roseate blossoms were drawing bees to our front door.
With flowers hanging like a garland around the door, it was just a matter of time until someone got stung.
Suppressing a twinge of sadness, I snipped and shaped the unruly branches.
About halfway through the process, a phrase came to mind: “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” (John 15:2, ESV).
As I snipped the leafy branches, I considered the parts of my life that have been pruned over the past few years: the desires for perfection, success, and excessive comfort. I considered the pursuits that have been cut out of my life and even relationships that drifted apart as God made room for new seasons.
When God Cuts Away Parts of Our Lives
I also thought about the parts of my life that are being pruned right now.
With three young children, I have realized that most of my “ministry” will take place within my immediate family. Evening activities have been pruned to primarily include homework and our kids’ sporting events.
Days at home with Aiden have been pruned to focus on helping him socialize and attending to his needs.
Writing has been pruned to include a few freelancing sites and work on my books.
As I snip the Rose of Sharon, it dawns on me that it’s not up to me to help the Gardner with the pruning. Instead, my role is to surrender to the process. This act of surrender rarely feels pleasant.
At times, this pruning looks like crushed dreams, rejection, misunderstanding, and grief.
Maybe you’ve been experiencing these same struggles and wonder if God is pruning you. Let’s explore four signs that you are in a pruning season.
4 Signs That God Is Pruning You
1. You have experienced one disappointment after another.
Have you recently asked yourself, What’s going to go wrong next?
If you have been experiencing one loss after another, you might be in a pruning season. Maybe you recently lost your job, and then a close friend moved away, and then the ministry you’ve been a part of for years changed. You might be feeling like you’re facing one disappointment after another.
God might be pruning your life—cutting away the parts that are hindering you from fulfilling his purpose for you. Keep doing the work he has set in front of you today, and trust that he will guide you and lead you.
2. You are experiencing one closed door after another.
Did you take a step of faith or try to pursue a dream, but now you’re meeting one closed door after another?
This experience generally feels frustrating and painful. It is also God’s way of directing our lives and removing the parts that no longer fit. God closes doors on our dreams when they don’t align with his plans for us.
Several years ago, God closed a door on a dream I’d been pursuing for years. It was crushing. However, as I look back from my current vantage point, I can see that God closed this door to make room for something much better. I’m grateful for his provision.
If you are facing a closed door, I encourage you to sort through your emotions with God. As you do, continue to pray the following prayer: “God, I don’t understand what you are doing, but I ask you to help me trust you even when I don’t understand your ways.”
God will answer this prayer.
3. A pursuit that once filled you with passion feels like drudgery.
Seven years into my career as a special education teacher, I realized that the career I once loved was not as fulfilling as it was when I first started teaching. The work that once filled me with passion felt grueling, and I didn’t look forward to getting up and going to work.
I had been sensing that God was leading me to make a change for at least a year, but I had been resisting. Finally, after months of struggling with my lack of passion for the work, I realized that God was calling me to resign and move in a different direction.
If you’ve lost your passion for the work you once loved, it’s worth considering whether God might be pruning you and asking you to change directions. He might lead you to persevere in your current position, but he might lead you in a different direction.
4. People have been unexpectedly leaving your life.
Did your best friend just move to the other side of the world? Are you facing a shift in any close relationships? If so, God might be pruning you. He might be removing someone who was not helping you glorify him with your life, or he might be creating space for something different.
Years ago, as our family grew, I realized that having three kids didn’t leave much space for new ministry endeavors. This meant that many people were suddenly removed from my life. It was painful, but God began pruning my life. Now, I look back and thank him for protecting me from spreading myself too thin.
Why God Prunes Us
God ultimately prunes us to help us bear more fruit. He wants our lives to overflow with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.
When our lives are too full, and we are not bearing fruit, God often shows us by stripping away everything that hinders us. His ultimate purpose is to bring glory to his name, work for good in our lives, and help us to look more like Jesus.
If God is pruning you today, be encouraged. The pruning probably doesn’t feel pleasant, but God is working in your life, and this difficult time will work out for your good and his glory.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Stacey Pardoe
Featured Image by Michael Tampakakis from Pixabay
