Trust Him With The Trimming & Devotionals on Hope
I gasped as I watched the seamstress wield her sewing scissors around the bottom of my daughter’s ball gown, trimming inches off the length of each layer. We had spent weeks searching for the perfect dress and waiting for it to arrive. The event was less than two weeks away. What if she ruins the dress? I wondered. There’s no time to replace it. But I remembered my friend’s words when she gave me the referral: “There’s no one better! My entire family loves her.”
The seamstress’s proven track record put me at ease. She knows what she’s doing, I assured myself. Minutes passed as she worked. The trimming was done. The pins were in place. My daughter and I caught a glimpse of what the finished product would look like. We smiled at each other approvingly. Upon completion, it would be gorgeous.
As I watched the seamstress, my mind wandered to the words Jesus spoke in John 15. The scene He described took place in a vineyard, not a sewing room, and a gardener did the trimming rather than a seamstress. Instead of preparing a gown to fit perfectly, Jesus was shaping people to bear fruit abundantly.
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing… This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:1-5, 8 NIV).
To prune means “to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth” (Oxford Dictionaries).
I often forget the purpose of His pruning – to encourage growth and help me bear more fruit as I abide in Him – because I focus on the pain of letting go. This is especially challenging when I’m fond of what He considers overgrown or no longer necessary.
When in a season of pruning, whether it’s the trimming of our schedules, beloved activities, or even relationships, we must remember the One who holds the shears. God isn’t wielding them haphazardly any more than the seamstress wielded hers without skill and intention. The Master Gardener, our Heavenly Father, knows what He’s doing. He has a proven track record; He’s faithful to His Word, and His promises are true.
We can trust Him with the trimming and remain hopeful in Him–always.
Whatever season you’re in – whether marked by pain, disappointment, or uncertainty – there is hope as you look to Him. We’d love to encourage you even more through our recent retreat devotionals. No matter what you’re facing, you can hold on to hope. Click here to read.
With much love in Christ,
Cara Blondo
PS - Registration for our Fall Study – Beloved of God: A Study in the Gospel of John – will begin soon! Stay tuned for more information!
We wish to see Jesus –John 12:21