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Day 7: Pain to Growth:
Welcome to day 7! Today, we will be discussing how the painful pruning process is the only way to not only be fruitful but to multiply.

Pruning a tree can have many benefits. The first and most important is keeping the people around it safe. This means that when you live a tree life, you first consider the people who are connected to you, around you, and maybe even work with you. If you are not pruned in the right season, then those people will feel the effects of you growing out of control.

Dead branches result from a damaged tree, an injured tree, or a dying tree. A dead branch can fall from a tree anytime, endangering nearby people, relationships, buildings, location, destiny, and power lines—your anointing. Pruning not only helps keep this from happening but pruning has other benefits. Pruning can change your look, but you must know when to prune.

Just like real trees that require annual pruning, our lives need regular examination and adjustments. Neglecting this process can lead to growth, but it’s a growth marred by fragile branches and reduced productivity. Attempting to force growth in the wrong season is futile; there’s a designated time for development.

God intends for us to be fruitful in all seasons. In the parable of the fig tree, the author notes that it was not the season for figs to grow. However, Jesus still expected the tree to bear fruit when he needed it. I believe that it is important that we understand that from the beginning, God gave us a command to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1. Jesus said, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

What’s interesting about a fruit tree is that it produces fruit, but the fruit is not for itself. You must render your seed useless to you. That means there can be no secondary benefit for you. No matter how fertile the soil or how excellent the ministry is, if you don’t plant the seed, it abides alone. However, when your seed is sown, it comes into a position to be multiplied back to you.

God plans to transform some of us into true, enduring trees. He’s preparing to impart us with the strength to withstand challenges and deliver us from both people and situations that hold us back. This divine intention is vital because many of us saints rely on situational salvation. Our faith often ebbs and flows with our circumstances, tethering our spirituality to the ups and downs of life.

God’s pruning is not about causing unnecessary discomfort but rather about preparing us for a future season of blessings. Some blessings we pray for might not arrive when we want them because we failed to undergo the required pruning in the right season. Pruning often involves letting go of what we cherish the most, and it can be a painful and even disappointing experience. Yet, it’s a critical step on the path to freedom from suffering and pain, and the benefits of pruning extend beyond the pain. It transforms us, addressing our flaws and inspiring change. Our lives should be transformed by the Word, shielding us from our sinful nature.

Paul warns us that “the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want” (Galatians 5:17). The desire of the flesh opposes the spirit, creating an internal conflict that hinders us from doing what we truly desire.

If there’s foliage without fruit, it’s nothing more than a show, a facade that falls short of divine intention.