“When your way isn’t working and you’re connected to the vine, you have to trust the picture the pruner has in mind. When you’re the one being cut, you instinctively question every clip. But God is not arbitrarily cutting and snipping. . . . Being the branch means learning not to resist his pruning so that we can more fully experience the beautiful and fruitful life he envisions for us.”- Kyle Idleman
In Chapter 9 (“The Bonsai Way”) of When Your Way Isn’t Working, Kyle Idleman references a scene from the original Karate Kid. As the scene unfolds, Daniel (Ralph Macchio) resists Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) in his attempt to include him in the pruning process. So, to relieve Daniel’s fear of pruning the bonsai tree, Mr. Miyagi asks Daniel to close his eyes, eliminate distractions, and “think only tree.”
Hence, the art of tending to a bonsai tree requires incredible time and skill. However, unlike a typical piece of art, you must constantly nurture, prune, and cultivate a bonsai tree. Above all, you need to trust the mental picture of the tree’s potential. Or you become too afraid to trim, cut, or prune any part.
Therefore, Pastor Idleman applies this principle to us:
“Sometimes the pruning God odes is noticeable to us and obvious to others. Sometimes the pruning involves small snips that aren’t noticed in the moment but over time begins to shape and form us. God is a gardener who continually prunes and brings us into alignment with his heart and vision. He has a picture in his mind, and we can trust his picture, even in the pruning.”
In conclusion, Pastor Idleman asserts his belief that most gardeners would translate John 15:2 as “lift up” or “pick up.” Because they know that you must pick up a branch in order to care for it. To produce a fruitful branch, you must lift it off the ground. Most significantly, that’s how God responds to struggling branches still connected to the Vine.
Today’s question: Do you believe God purposes the cutting and snipping in your life? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “”Pruning – painful or punishment?”