Words of Hope Daily Devotional
Pruned to Produce
Read: John 15:1-8
Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (v. 2)
It’s hard for me to cut away a perfectly fine, green and growing branch from a plant or bush. But sometimes, I realize that it’s the best thing I can do for the health of the plant. It requires faith for gardeners to wield the pruning shears and to believe that removing a section will encourage further branching out, allowing for more growth that will produce better flowers or fruit.
During Jesus’s life, he probably observed this process himself, noting that even green, flourishing vines must endure the temporary pain of cutting and removal to make room for growth. Disciples who are connected to Jesus, even obedient, loving followers, will have to submit to loss, sorrow, or disruption. Even if we believe that all is well in our spiritual lives, as believers who want to grow in faith, we have to humbly accept that there may be beliefs, opinions, attitudes, and behaviors that have to fall away to allow for more fruitful spiritual growth.
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.” A growing faith must be examined and pruned in order to become deeper and even more fruitful and Spirit-filled. Would you like more of the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Does bitterness, impatience, grumbling, or unkindness keep you from growing? What needs to be trimmed in your life so you can grow in Christlikeness?
As you pray, humbly ask God for the pruning you need to bear more fruit for his glory.
About the Author
Denise Vredevoogd
Denise Vredevoogd is a private piano teacher who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan. She enjoys reading, writing, gardening, and spending time in nature with her adult sons and daughters.
God Remembers
Read: Isaiah 49:13-18 I will not forget you. (v. 15) Have you ever felt forgotten? Feeling forgotten is a lonely feeling. Feeling forgotten can lead us to believe we are not loved. Psalmists have often expressed this feeling, “How long,
God Sees
Read: Genesis 16:6-16 You are the God who sees me. (v. 13 NIV) Children love hiding from others as a game. As adults, we also hide in different ways. Sometimes we hide behind the protective walls we erect around our
God Creates
Read: Genesis 1:26-31 Let us make humans in our image. (v. 26 NRSV) The Sioux people of the northern Great Plains in North America believed the longest distance we journey in life is between our head and our heart. This
The Most Painful Doubt
Read: Philippians 4:4-9 The God of peace will be with you. (v. 9 NIV) Emotional doubt is the most difficult because it grows out of deep hurt and the emotions our trauma has produced—anger, anxiety, depression, sorrow. In these concise
Repent and Believe
Read: Mark 1:14-20 The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! (v. 15 NIV) With volitional doubt—doubt based on a stubborn refusal to give in to God’s will for life—the means by which Jesus overcomes
Feeding Your Faith
Read: Romans 10:9-17 Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (v. 17 NIV) Although Jesus might drive out doubt immediately, he almost always uses other means, and different means for different