What goes through your mind during those moments of pain, when on the surface most still looks good and healthy……but deep down inside you know……it’s time to prune.
I need to be completely honest. Change is PAINFUL. I struggle with it at every corner. As a husband when I’ve been operating under beliefs that I’ve been who I thought I should be towards my wife and meeting her needs, only to find out there are some areas I have been missing the mark….As a Father I can get into routines that I think are healthy for my girls…task…task…task…do…do..do but that doesn’t speak nourishment and gentleness. At work I can get so locked into routines, that they become master over creativity, flexibility, and availability.
I can do the same with my quiet time…read…read…read but am I spending time with the Lord, my Savior, my Friend, or just going through the motions. And I know this sounds bad but I even do the same sorta checked-out approach to songs…they’ve just become words on a page that I brainlessly recite.
That time of “pruning” for me needs to happen often, daily sometimes hourly. It is for me the time I need to evaluate who I am becoming and how am I worshipping the God of the Universe through the process of that. It’s making that connection from my head to heart, of the truths I know about who God has called me to be, and making sure that I am being lead by that and not the lies the world is trying to sneak in.
Just as you would in a garden, pruning and care must be regular in order for it to flourish, grow, and have its beauty exposed, we must do the same in our lives. We need to spend time in His word for our nourishment….in fellowship with other believers….and in prayer and worship seeking direction and surrender, and celebrating His awesomeness.
Here is my challenge to you…spend some time reading through Psalm 139…study it…rest in it…worship through it….give thanks in prayer while you process it. Let the pruning of the Holy Spirit reset your heart. Enjoy your time with Him.