HOW INSPIRING John 15:2
God Directs our Growth
John 15:2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
Several nights ago I dreamed that everyone I knew was approaching me to tell me how great my hair looked. I thought, ‘geez, what’s so special about my hair today from any other day?’. When I passed a mirror I hardly recognized the woman I saw. It was me! My long hair was cut above my shoulders and the color was changed. I couldn’t understand how my hairdresser, someone I trusted, could have cut away a part of me without my permission or knowledge.
After I caught my breath, I looked back at my reflection and realized the hairstyle and color actually was quite beautiful – better than the old self! And that made me think of God and His Spiritual Pruning.
God is the Master Gardener at work in us. He knows the beauty that He hopes we can become. He works on pruning for our well-being to remove the ‘bad wood’ … to encourage fruitfulness and future growth. The new growth creates strong branches to weather the storms and be productive.
After this analogy, I appreciated the message in my dream. Just as the hairdresser removed the dead ends and rejuvenated my hair, God has also been getting rid of my dead ends. He has been changing me without my realizing it.
I now understand that because I truly trust Him, I need to allow Him to work in me knowing I will emerge with stronger branches, growth in new and unexpected directions, and be more resistant to weather the storms. In essence, I will become a better version of myself.
So the next time there is a change in your life that takes you by surprise, reflect on what God’s intent and message is. Look in the mirror and see what and who He wants you to become.
Everything happens for a Reason!
