In God’s design, a requirement for growth and fruitfulness is the act of pruning. Pruning is the process of cutting away dead or overgrown branches/stems. The act of pruning is required to increase fruitfulness and growth. When Karyne is working in her garden, she is constantly snipping away. I often see dead branches and leaves being cut off so that it makes room for the new. However, sometimes I see her cut off large, fresh, and lively branches. In cutting seemingly alive and well grown branches, it may seem counter to the point of gardening. If we are trying so hard to create healthy branches, why cut it off? Healthy branches that are not producing fruit are branches that are taking away from those that are healthy and fruitful. Cutting away the unfruitful redirects resources to those that are fruitful, simply put:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it will be even more fruitful.”
John 15:1-2
In our journey and walk as a LifeSpring family in the maturity – God has been highlighting to me that it is not about growing big, strong, and healthy. The real goal of maturity is fruitfulness. We are not meant to simply “look good”, we are meant to be fruitful – to love one another and be a source of Kingdom for the world.
As we grow and mature, we must always be examining what needs to be pruned. In our lives, we may have to cut off people, behaviors, habits, practices, situations, opportunities, groups, and even special interests in our pursuit of Godly fruitfulness. Anything that is holding back our assignment to be fruitful needs to be prunes. In this way, only the fruitful parts of our lives get the resources it needs.
I turned 40 this year and I am starting to see some grey hairs coming out. I have realized that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. What I do with my time and my life matters. What draws me closer to the Lord and what draws me farther away from Him?
This September, I will be inviting the leadership team to fast and pray with me to seek Purpose 2026. I would also like to extend this invite to the church family. Consider fasting something for the King. Fasting is a gift to the King – give something worthy of Him.