Pruning – “to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth.”
The past few months have been a season of pruning for me. In my last post God led me to share about the journey He brought me through to begin to cultivate a spirit of forgiveness. Six weeks have past, and the pruning process continues.
I began working through a book and journal on forgiveness several weeks ago. God began pulling back layers of things from my past that I needed to deal with – because if He reveals something to me then I am supposed to deal with it. That part of this pruning process was painful at times but very necessary for me to continue to move forward. After those layers were gone there was more work to be done. If I am going to live a life of forgiveness it needs to be an ongoing daily commitment.
God began showing me that if I desire to live a spirit filled life and to continue to be transformed into the image of Christ – forgiveness is essential. God’s word calls us to forgive again and again.
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” Eph 4:32
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you” Col 3:13
“seventy times seven” Matt 18:22
It does not say only forgive the big things, the things I feel like forgiving, or the things that others have apologized for. It is ANYTHING I am holding against another (Mark 11:25) so that I do not give the devil an opportunity (Eph 4:27). It is dealing with it in the moment by taking that thought captive (2 Cor 10:5) and dealing with it immediately.
Any unforgiveness and resentment can lead to bitterness. When bitterness has taken hold, I cannot live the life worthy of the calling (Eph 4:1). I cannot operate effectively in my gifts and talents when there is unforgiveness. My heart is not in proper alignment with God, so those things are done in my own strength. The fruit of the Spirit will not be manifested through me because there is no true love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control present in a person who is bitter and unwilling to forgive.
So, this pruning process is cutting away those old attitudes and habits I have developed. Once those are gone, I must replace them with new attitudes and new habits. It is an ongoing active process. Lysa Terkuerst described what we needed to do this way, “Surrender our offenses daily – keeping our hearts swept clean of bitterness and remaining humble when we are hurt”.
The more I submit and walk in a spirit of forgiveness the more God can transform me into who He wants me to be. My prayer throughout this journey will echo King David’s,
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” Ps 51:10.
Melodie