Are You Done?
I have a feeling there will be but a few who are reading this that have never asked a rambunctious child—“you done?” “Are you done with your fit? Are you done doing your thing? Are you done? Because when you are, we’ll be moving on.” The wisdom of the one, over the other, always knows that what they are doing to themselves is getting them nowhere.
I have been waiting to prune my grape vines and my fruit trees. Just waiting! The wayward branches and the hope of future fruit has me all anxious to get it done; ooooooweeee I’ve been wanting to get at those things!!
But I’ve had to wait. I had to wait for the foliage to be done; to have lost their vibrant colors and drop to the ground.
And now I’m talking to them as a few leaves are still hanging on. “Are you done? Can we get on with things? Can I get to the pruning so you will be much better next year?”
If you’re wondering...they clearly answer, “yep-let’s go.” (Don’t worry, I have a doctor in the family that specializes in treating the symptoms of hearing plants talk).
I think most of us know the references to God pruning our lives. We talk about it, explain about it, reference it; it’s one of those common terms as followers we recognize.
God prunes the same as any gardener (John 15:1-6). He eyes what is needed—whether to trim, to cut, to bring in, to tie and support. Then steps back with a smile, saying “that right there—that’s my girl! Now she’s ready!”
The question begs though—do we welcome the pruning? Do we say, “yep, let’s go?” Because if we did, our prayers and our concerns wouldn’t be filled with hand-ringing and pearl-clutching; they would be filled with anticipated joy. The joy of knowing we are loved so much by the Master Gardener, that wants to prune us to give us so much more.
But, how do we know when, if, or even how we are pruned?
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
Right there. That’s the pruning that God works on. It is when, in the midst of the calm or the chaos, you seek and align your responses with what God wants--not what the world wants. That’s our pruning, dear sisters. It is solely for the direct alignment of us with Him in everything we face. It’s not for how to live in the world, or how to do life, or how to figure it all out—pruning is for the sole reason that we remain in Him, so that He will remain in us.
Can you hear Him asking—“are you done?” He’s wondering. He's asking you right now, are you done hanging on to all your useless foliage that bears nothing? He clearly can see what needs to be trimmed away, but He won’t do a thing until you say, “yep-let’s go”; until you're willing to be made better by The Gardener. That’s the God we follow. He knows what is best for us, but will let us decide.
Pruning isn’t always pretty or easy, but the end result is.
Don’t fret about it. Don’t be fearful about it. Welcome it! Pray for it! Delight in it! You are a daughter of the Most High who wants nothing but the absolute best for you. He will do the work, if you do the asking.