By Andrew Williams
Opening Prayer
Father, in the middle of our trials, help us to trust Your loving hand and Your good purpose, knowing you are shaping us for your glory.
Today’s Scripture (NLT)
Hebrews 12:11
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained by it.”
One of the most powerful, yet often most difficult, ways that God grows us is through trials and discipline. A master gardener knows that a vine will not produce the best fruit unless it is pruned. Pruning involves cutting away branches that are dead, diseased, or simply not fruitful, so the vine can focus its energy on producing a healthy harvest. It’s a painful process for the plant, but it is essential for its growth.
This is a picture of how God works in our lives. The struggles, hardships, and challenges we face often feel painful and pointless while they are happening. But God, the master gardener, is using them as pruning shears. He is cutting away areas of pride, self-reliance, impurity, or misplaced priorities. He is training us.
The key is our response. If we become bitter and resist the process, we don’t benefit. But if we submit to His work, trusting that He has a good purpose, the promise is a “peaceful harvest of right living.” The trial will produce a character in us that is more like Christ, which is God’s ultimate goal for our growth.
Disciples’ Life Tip: Are you in a season of pruning right now? Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?” try asking God this question: “Father, what are you trying to produce in me through this?”
Closing Prayer: Lord, help us to endure our trials with faith, trusting that You are the wise gardener who prunes us for a purpose. We yield to Your loving discipline. Amen.
