Lessons Learned In The Pruning Season

 

People in the church often have a misguided notion that God always operates in the timing and the way that we think He should.  His Word is quite clear that His ways aren’t our ways (Isaiah 55).  The longer I’ve been pursuing a life in the Kingdom, I realize that God is really into times and seasons.  Often one season may look totally different than another season.  Nature reflects this so well.  Winter and summer may look completely different, but they each serve a purpose.  It’s important to discern those seasons.  The sons of Issachar understood this too (1 Chronicles 12:32). It’s important to trust God in those seasons and be able to recognize that God is faithful no matter what a situation may look like.  We often like to talk about the exciting season.  We all want to hear words about harvest and the manifested promises.  We all love to hear stories of the faithfulness of God.  What about the season that things appear dry and dead?  What about the seasons where you feel pressed so hard you aren’t sure you can see the promises of God on the other side?  What about the times when God isn’t talking like you’re used too?  What happens then?

John 15:2 (NIV) talks about a time of pruning, “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.”  A pruning season isn’t a bad thing.  It’s a good thing.  I am not suggesting that God brings situations with your health or wealth, but I’m suggesting a season where it feels like what once was moving and shaking suddenly seems dry.  I’m talking about season where no one seems to know your name or cares.  I am talking about seasons when you cry out to God trying so hard to pick up pieces of vision and destiny that feel scattered on the floor like a half done puzzle.

A few weeks ago I had a dream.  We have this fig tree in our backyard, and if you know anything about fig trees they can be finicky with the seasons to take care of.  They need pruned and extreme temperature will kill them. We have gone through several times we thought it was dead.  But we wouldn’t give up on it.  Eventually the leaves appear and we have even found some fruit on it.  In this dream, I saw this fig tree.  The branches looked dead, but on the ends of them there were leaves in full force.  I believe that dream wasn’t just for me, but for many who have walked through a pruning season recently.  I believe what has appeared to be dead, is far from it.  There have been things that God is doing on the inside, which no one has seen yet.  Like winter is to summer, you cannot have the harvest without the pruning season.  True spiritual maturity is learning to trust God no matter the circumstance.  True spiritual maturity knows that God is faithful.  He would never leave you nor forsake you (Deut 31:6). He doesn’t have favorites (Romans 2:11)

If you find yourself in this season, here are a few helpful tips:

*Press into God and his presence.  It may be easy when you are in a difficult season to avoid God.  Our busy worlds can slowly start putting God last instead of first.  If this is the case, press in! Recently I believe the Holy Spirit gave me the acronym of P. Pray R. Relentlessly E. In Every  S. Small S. Season.  That Press is pressing no matter the season.  That is pressing whither everything is going right or everything seems to be going wrong. I believe if you will take a step toward God, he will take all the more towards you. Philippians 4:6 commands us to be anxious for nothing but in everything pray.  Is your anxiety louder than your prayer?  Which one is occupying your internal dialogue more? 

*I want you to make yourself a list of situations you have walked through in the past that God really showed up on your behalf.  Remember how he delivered you, orchestrated your footsteps, and provided.  In 1 Samuel 17, when David killed Goliath He reminded himself of the things God had used him to do in the past.  He had fought the lion and fought the bear.  He knew Goliath didn’t stand a chance.  God doesn’t change.  It may not always look the same, but God was faithful to you then and He is faithful to you now.

*There have been times in my walk that it has seemed that God’s voice was so distant.  A childhood pastor of mine used to suggest that in those seasons to write a letter to God.  He used to suggest, "To get everything out you want to say to Him".  He used to suggest, "To hold nothing back", but then he would say to, "Write a letter in response that you feel God would say to you in return".  He said to pray and to allow God to respond to you.  He used to always say that we treat God like one would pick up a phone, have a one sided conversation, and then hang up the phone.  Relationships are two sided and not one.  God is very clear in His word that His sheep know his voice (John 10:27).  I am not suggesting it’s always audible, but deep in your spirit flows forth rivers of living water (John 7:38).  One of my favorite scripture is Isaiah 30:21 “Whether you look to the right or to the left, there will be a voice behind you saying ‘Go this way walk in it.”  God’s Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path (Psalm 119:105).

I believe you have a story.  Inside of you, you are walking out a miraculous testimony.  Do not let the first chapter define your end.  Do not quit (Matthew 24:13).  People don’t often want to turn a message about endurance and perseverance into a ‘Hallelujah’ shouting message, but it needs to be.  Press on to the high call of God that God has placed in your life.  Press on no matter the circumstance.  Press on no matter who has told you no.  Press on no matter if your vision can feel blurry.  Write the vision and make it plain so that those can read it may run with it.  (Hab 2:2)  It’s time to take your feet from the sidelines and get back into the race.  For the pruning season is only for a season.  At the end of that season, the fruit abounds.  Trust God!