Prune for More Fruit

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. - John 15:2

Hi dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today I would like to share with you this little fella from my garden. A Capsicum seedling. I have started my attempt in gardening (you can look for One Less Junk on Earth Channel about my beginning journey) and one of them is to learn - Pruning.

Most of the time I feel sad for pruning seedlings when they grow enough height and volume of leaves and look really healthy; however, like most gardeners' advises, pruning is necessary to force the little plant to go forth and bear branches.

However, if you prune the plant too early, it might die of shock, and if you prune it too late, before you realise it would have shot so high that its flimsy stamp (due to no branches and didn't form up a stronger trunk) might break from the wind blow having its big leaves caught in the current of the wind; or impact due to lack of foundation body)

Most of the time, it will not yield much fruit. Because of its one stamp structure.

What is the connection of this gardening with us in life?

Do you realise from time to time, season to season, there are days the LORD allows us to face challenges and sometimes even, we have to metaphorically (most of the time) cut off our arms and legs of dependence just in order to produce more branches that will yield more of the fruit (of the Holy Spirit)?

A person who has never gone through lack would never have understood the meaning of fully dependence and trust of God; not that I advocate poverty, for lack can come in many different forms, including lack of rooted faith in the LORD.

I personally understand this because I went from season to season for the past decade and particularly the last 24 months I learned to fully dependent on My Heavenly Father WHO loves me and provides me enough to bring forth different fruits in me... though I must say I still need a lot of pruning.

And if you notice the tiny little Capsicum (I took this morning), because I have its big seedling leaves cut off with the top already chopped a week before hand, to allow the 2 sides to form tiny branches of leaves , ready for more fruit in the future.

If you notice, there are already 4 branches sprouting.

Would we allow our Loving Father to have some scissors on us so that we would bear much fruit for His glory?