A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to tour a vineyard and learn about the process of growing vines to yield grapes for wine. It is quite fascinating. The vineyard owner told us that the vinedresser must know exactly which branches to prune back and which to prop up and give extra support to. I was quite puzzled to learn that vinedresser’s actually prune branches that look very healthy and are producing grapes on an annual basis. Some of them seem to be OVER-producing grapes.
I thought it seemed so counterproductive to prune an abundant branch that is producing quality grapes. I mean, WHY would you do that? It makes no sense!
Our vineyard host probably saw the question marks on our faces, and she explained that if they don’t prune those branches and cut them back, the rest of the vine can suffer. Some overproducing, healthy vines and get so depleted from the process that they use up all of the resources from the vine and the branches nearby die from malnourishment. And no branch can keep going at that fast pace. They have to alternate between branches on the vine to avoid this “burnout” situation.
Not only that, but sometimes vinedressers also have to help the weak branches by “propping” them up in some way so they can get the support they need to become re-vitalized and produce again.
I love that Jesus shares this story with us in John chapter 15 when he talks about being the vine and his people are the branches. He describes how God, the vinedresser, props some of the branches up to help them and how God prunes the branches back that need to be cut back to prevent over-production, burnout, and death of the other branches:
I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. ~ John 15:1-8 NLT
I don’t know about you, but I have been through seasons of pruning that I thought would never end. There were times that I felt like I was at my prime – doing amazing things for the kingdom- and God started chopping away. I thought I was going to die. If I’m honest, it felt like the worst season of my life. My dreams crashed and burned, and everything seemed to come to a screeching halt.
I spent years wandering around in a wilderness with my broken heart, begging God to heal me and show me what I did wrong to end up in that place. The truth is, I didn’t do anything wrong. It was actually my fruitfulness that brought the pruning! Can you relate to that?? Maybe you are in a season that seems like every door is slamming in your face just when you thought it would be open. Maybe you were absolutely sure that God was going to catapult you into a new thing but instead He sent you to the wilderness for a while.
If so, take heart! He only prunes those He loves! And although you can’t see if now, it will make sense some day and the fruit that you will bear will be even more beautiful than the current fruit. I know it’s hard to imagine, but if I had not gone through the last 10 years that felt like a blistering trek through a hot, scorched desert with very little water, I would not have learned how to depend on God for EVERYTHING. And I mean, EVERYTHING! And how could I encourage any other fellow sojourners unless I had experienced what they felt too?
I learned humility. I learned deep dependence on God. And I learned that He is faithful. You can’t learn those things in a classroom, you gotta go on an adventure with God that might end you in hot desert. But just remember, miracles happen in deserts! And you will get to experience them. By the time you come out on the other side, no one will be able to convince you otherwise. You will know God on a deeper level than you thought possible. And you will love him more.
If this message spoke to you, check out my podcast episode that covers this topic and includes even more to encourage you! Check it out here:
The Vine & The Branches (castos.com)
