Lessons from a Rose Bush

I am not a gardener.  I am not going to even pretend that I have a green thumb.  I don't.  My husband, however, has two.  So the fact that I was messing with our rose bush today is huge.  But I wanted to.  Actually, I have wanted to work on them since spring arrived.  I knew that my rose bush, and it is technically mine as it was a gift to me, needed some attention.  The dead branches and leftover remains of once beautiful roses were now brown and overpowering my bush as new life was ready to spring forth.  But those dead things were hindering it to be the best that it could be.  Sure, it was evident that the bush could still be a rose bush and there would be blooms soon since there were new green leaves.  But all that brown.  The dead leftovers.  It was not helping it to be all that it was created to be.

Maybe you can see where I am going with this.  God likes to speak to me through analogies.  A lot.  Kind of like parables - He helps me understand and receive what He wants me to by giving me an illustration so that I can listen, learn, change and grow.  He spoke to me today and here are just a few truths He taught me.

- Recognize Pruning Is Required - 

As believers we need to examine ourselves.  We need to allow God to examine us.  For our good and His glory.  When we see an area of our life that isn't glorifying to Him we shouldn't ignore it.  We should address it.  We should seek the Gardener and ask Him to prune us.

"Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life."  Psalm 139:23-24 MSG

- Pruning Hurts -

Being pruned is not fun.  It's just not.  Who wants to sign up for that?  But we must if we want to be fruitful.  If we want to be our best for Him, the dead, non-fruit or flower producing parts have to go.  It hurts.  It takes work.  Vulnerability.  Humility.  But the Gardener - He is full of grace, He is gentle and does it so very carefully.  He will meticulously cut off the branches that are dead... because He LOVES you!

You know, I was poked by a thorn while I was trimming away today.  It went straight through my leather glove.  It hurt me.  When we are being pruned we sometimes end up hurting our Gardener.  Did you ever think of that?  I hadn't.  When we recognize that we've hurt Him and ask for forgiveness He forgives us.  He keeps working on us.  He loves us too much to let us stay that way.

"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." John 15:1-2

- Trust the Gardener -

Trust Him.  He knows what He is doing - He is our creator, our maker.  He knew what you were to be before you came to be.  He wants you to be your best.  You are beautiful and He wants to keep you that way.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

"In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."  James 1:21b MSG

I pray that you will reflect with me on what we need to allow God to prune out of our lives.  May you experience His amazing grace and powerful work in your life in a new way today.