Today’s chapter is John 15

Tom writes:

“It’s so jolly sat here on this vine. The Father really deeply loves me and accepts me and I love him so, so much. It is like a perfect all-inclusive holiday just sat here soaking up his rays. I’m relaxing and munching on the free food from the bar and.... what!! What are you doing with those secateurs Jesus? You need to be careful with those; they could really hurt someone. What do you mean you are going to use them on me? When you said the Father was the gardener I thought you meant gardening like I do gardening - switching on the sprinkler once in a while and watching with casual interest to see how everything gets on? I didn’t expect you to take pieces of me - things that I care about and have spent time investing in and growing - and to prune them and cut them off without even asking me if you can?” That (or something like it) is the inner-narrative of the disciple who finds herself experiencing some pain. And it is something we all need to grapple with if we want to become mature.

The truth is that in recent years we have lost the idea that the Father is committed to working on us and not just through us. We love sharing testimonies of how God used us to heal someone but we think that God teaching us to obey him went out of fashion with Aaron’s ephod. The biggest act of love from God to us is to prune us with pain. Now I know that sounds almost blasphemous to our modern ears but the ancient followers of Jesus, especially in the monastic tradition, saw challenging circumstances and trial as an essential and desirable element of their growing in the Lord. So, whether you are suffering right now or just want to learn how to suffer well in the future - hear this; wherever your suffering springs from (whether the devil, your own stupidity or judgement from God) God can and will use every instance of suffering to prune you for fruitfulness. God - the one who really loves you - the one who died for you - the one who is all wise - will always turn every instance of pain into your deliverance and glory, if you continue to remain in him. So let’s keep praying for healing, and let’s keep praying for freedom from pain, but even as we do so, let’s also ask God to use the pain and hardship to train us both in remaining deeply entangled in him and in becoming like him; the God who prunes us in his love.

Question for reflection

How has the Father pruned you recently?

John 15 - Thursday 7th November