Short Devotions - Fruit On The Vine

John 15:1-8 states: "I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vine-dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

Galatians 5:22-23 states:

"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

May I ask you a question - What kind of garden are you?

Know that the goal of every gardener is to have a flourishing garden, whether it's a flower garden, or a rock garden, the goal is still the same at the end of the day -- a flourishing garden.

Understand that the process that makes a garden flourish, is pruning: which is the cutting away of anything that stops the abundance of growth from within the garden. Know that this is exactly what God is doing in our lives this very day. Remember that when we see plans that don't make the final cut when it comes to our expectations, or our loving relationships seem to fail no matter how hard we try.

Know that this is simply part of the pruning process, and yes, pruning will always hurt in the beginning. But when we start to see new growth flourishing from within our daily lives and our walk with the Lord continues to blossom - then we find ourselves beginning to say things like: "Thank you Father" or "Now I know, how much you love me Lord."

This is why we must never be afraid of the pruning process that continues to go on from within our lives. For we must learn to expect this, for it will eventually bring a season "flourished growth" from within our lives. And these are the kind of reasons that constantly remind us that God loves us -- Amen.