The Pruning Before the Harvest

This is what the Lord says: “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NLT).

We all long to be that tree planted by water whose roots grow down deep. We want to be that fruit tree that bears more fruit each year. You know, the ones that are literally bent over from the weight of the produce.

But before that, something has to happen—and that’s pruning. The pruning process hurts. The tearing away of the wood from the tree isn’t painless.

But we have the best Gardener.

He tends His plants gently. He gives extra food and water where it’s needed. When droughts come that would cause us to shrivel up, He rains down upon our hearts. When storms come, and it feels like our very roots are being pulled up, He helps us hold firm.

He patiently pulls the weeds that would choke out His truth and gives us even more space to grow.

If life doesn’t look like you hoped it would today, take heart beloved. Pruning must happen before the harvest.