Pruning

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:7-9


Pruning: we all need to do it.


I’m reading a book by local author Michelle DeRusha: “True You”. In this spiritual book, Michelle outlines several analogies between a human life and the life of a tree. She talks about pruning, and the role a Japanese gardener has in ensuring that his trees thrive.


For me, one area that needs pruning is making judgements of others based on my psychological assessment of them. Whether or not I’m correct, I should remember that I don’t know everyone’s story…unless they share it with me.


It was hard for me to think through what things needed pruning in my life. When asked “What needs pruning in your life?” many of us may think “I do too much, I need to start saying no”, and while this can be true, I think we’re taking the easy way out if we ONLY think of scaling back our activities. I think we need to look at our behaviors and how we’re reacting to relationships, outside forces beyond our control, co-workers, family members…if we are honest with ourselves, there are going to be things that need pruning. And not just our social calendars.

It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.


Prayer: Dear Lord, it’s hard to let go of some deep-seated habits in our lives…we may have lived with them for so long, they make us comfortable. Help us to prune by showing us where we can change, and then give us the strength to make those changes. Be with us as we strive to follow You. Amen.


Donna Gustafson