By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
Three winters ago, a couple of intense ice storms damaged several mature boxwood bushes in our landscaping, leaving brown patches on the foliage throughout.
When spring came, I cut off the dead branches, hoping they would fill-in and become symmetrical again. But after waiting all summer, the bushes remained lopsided and scraggly.
The next spring, we pruned every branch, even the healthy ones, down to eight inches in height. It was a drastic move, but we didn’t know what else to do. Perhaps extreme pruning would spark new growth.
Unfortunately, it didn’t. Although a few sprigs of growth appeared over the summer, they were very few. Most branches remained bare and eventually became so brittle they would snap off with relative ease.
Instead of digging up the shrubs and removing them completely, we decided to give them one more chance. We waited through fall. Then winter. And finally, spring. Still no growth. The boxwoods were completely dead.
After a trip to the local landscape center, my husband removed the lifeless remains and replaced them with vibrant green shrubs.
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2).
Friends, when it comes to spiritual growth I can say with all honesty… I’m not where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be.
How about you?
Have you been damaged by the storms of life? Do parts of you lie dormant or even dead, no longer growing or thriving?
Here’s what I have come to understand about God. He never forces spiritual growth upon us. He gives us plenty of experiences, opportunities, and grace. But whether we choose to allow those things to grow us is up to us.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:5-8).
The Lord allows us the freedom to set the pace. We can walk, run, crawl, or even hobble to the next level along our faith journey. We get to choose when to move, when to stop, when to speed up, and when to slow down. God even allows us the freedom to choose which direction to head towards.
Why?
Because it’s not just about the destination (heaven), it’s also about the journey (what God wants to teach us along the way). God not only wants us to know him intimately; he wants us to trust him completely. Trust doesn’t just happen; it takes time. Time and experience. Head knowledge is one thing and serves its purpose, but heart knowledge takes our faith to a whole new level.
It’s not just about walking and talking with God. It’s also about tripping, falling, and learning from our mistakes. Knowing God is there to catch us, dust us off, and encourage us along the way. He allows us the freedom to both push the pedal and set the speedometer. He gives us the grace to grow.
What about you? Where are you on that journey with God? Have you slowed down? Sped up? Or have you taken a giant leap across the great divide, allowing life’s lessons to fuel another season of growth?
Remember, every experience, and every opportunity, even when you feel far from God, has the potential to trigger tremendous spiritual growth.
“And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people” (1 Samuel 2:26).
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me'” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
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