The New Normal

Have you ever gotten a paper cut? New file folders have a way of getting their sharp little edges onto my skin. And a paper cut hurts like Hades! Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve hurt less if I had cut the whole finger off?

The point is: every time the skin is broken..we feel pain.

I know there are times I wonder why God lets me go through pain, especially when I’m doing my best to follow hard after Him. I can understand God dolling out pain to someone who is cursing His name or slaughtering His people. But deep down I know that God doesn’t operate that way either.

Is He just?..yes.

Does it always seem fair to me?..NO.

I guess that is a mystery I will uncover when I reach heaven with my notepad full of “Why God?” questions.

Back to getting cut..John 15 (my favorite chapter of the bible) is about Jesus being the vine and we, His children being the branches and God, the Father, being the Gardner. Now I’ve read this chapter a million times but this time was different (I love how God does that). I noticed in verse 2 that “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit..” Again, I understand this..no fruit = cut off. But then John goes on to write, “..while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” WHAT!?! So, is he saying..if you bear fruit..you will still get cut!?!

There is no escaping the Gardner’s blade. We will all get cut. And if you don’t bear fruit it is a one time cutting but a lifetime of withering and thirsting for life. If you do bear fruit then it is a lifetime of pruning, of discomfort, of small papercuts..but a lifetime connected to the vine. With each cut, with each season of pruning comes new growth, stronger, more beautiful and with more fruit. A lifetime of being cleaned up by the Gardner makes us look more and more like the true vine, Jesus.

As difficult as this is to say..cut me, God..I’m ready to look more like the Vine.