Pruned
For years every February I watched my grandmother and mom prune back their roses. Now that I’m an adult, my mom still reminds me to prune mine back the week of Valentine’s Day and my daughters are the ones watching me.
Overall, the cutting back process will help the bush remain healthy. When thinning the canes from the center it improves air circulation for the bush - instead of it looking like a hot mess of Mardi Gras beads your four-year-old tossed around.
Additionally, when the center of the bush isn’t overcrowded, it is less likely to attract insects that seek to destroy our beautiful roses. This process also promotes the growth for more blooms to present themselves.
It’s easy to see what parts of the plant have dead branches and leaves. Those are usually the first ones cut off. What about the rest of the rose bush? The limps that grew in odd directions, the branches that may have had decreased blooms or the limps that perhaps have diseases forming inside of them. Those canes need a little more examination.
When I pruned last month, I had beautiful deep red petals opening up from new buds on one of my antique roses. The cane it was on stood tall at 4-foot high but it was also growing properly. Even though the growth was beautiful, unique and even though I could have let it keep growing well into years to come – it still wasn’t right.
The direction was wrong. The growth it would have been allowed would have had to be cut off anyway.
Yes, the pruning shears have sharp blades but the cut is only temporary. The plant heals.
We heal.
That cut God had to do in your life to get rid of the things you thought was the absolute best for you – was actually exactly what you needed.
You and I can’t see the things ahead of us. That’s where our faith comes in. We can’t see that these choices that may feel good were actually hosting things that were dormant of disease in our life which would have eventually spread like cancer to destroy us.
Sometimes God’s pruning equals people, or thoughts, or our selfish ways, or even a job or organization you are a part of.
If it costs your peace or your salvation girl it is way too expensive. That cut will hurt for a bit but I promise you it will be worth it to say alright Lord cut it off!!
I encourage you to pray for eyes to see what needs to be pruned. I’m speaking to myself here too so don’t think that you’re alone.
Even the healthiest rose bushes in my garden get pruned. Why? Because I want them to stay that way. Just like those antique roses, you are way too expensive to God to stay in a state of decay just because you don’t want the dead things in our life to be trimmed off.
I pray for you today in Jesus name for any strongholds to be broken off and I encourage you that if you need prayer for something please reach out under the contact page. Y’all have a blessed week.
Love you guys
