Pruned for Purpose: Lessons from the Garden

It has been two years since I have planted a garden and this was the year I wanted to do it again. Nothing beats a fresh tomato picked right off the vine and some salt. Every morning I go out and I water the garden and have a conversation with God. I almost know what it was like for Adam and Eve to walk in the cool of the day with God. I love the fact that God never changes. He still desires to have a conversation with us. He does speak, we just have to be willing to listen. 

In gardening, especially when growing tomato plants, one of the most important but often overlooked tasks is removing the “suckers.” These are small shoots that grow in the joint between the stem and a branch. At first glance, they seem harmless—maybe even helpful—but if left alone, they begin to sap energy from the main plant. Rather than producing fruit, these suckers drain resources, ultimately hindering the plant’s growth and productivity.

It takes work to tend to the garden. Pruning requires attentiveness, patience, and sometimes even a bit of force. But the rewards? Stronger plants. Bigger fruit. A healthier harvest.

And so it is with us.

Jesus said in John 15:2 (NIV), “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.” God, the Master Gardener, sees the parts of our lives that are unproductive or even destructive—our personal “suckers.” These could be:

• Toxic relationships
• Unforgiveness
• Pride or self-reliance
• Unhealthy habits
• Bitterness from past wounds
• Time-wasting distractions

We may not always recognize them as harmful at first. Sometimes, like those suckers on the tomato plant, they seem like they belong. But left alone, they sap the strength of our spiritual lives and keep us from bearing fruit.

Being pruned is never comfortable. It can feel like loss. It may involve walking away from people or habits we’ve held close. It may mean letting go of dreams we thought we needed. Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

But when we allow God to cut away what doesn’t belong, we find that He replaces it with something far better—peace, clarity, fruitfulness, and intimacy with Him. The Apostle Paul experienced this refining in his own life and counted it all worth it: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7).

So, what is God pruning in your life today? Maybe He’s nudging you to let go of something—an attitude, an activity, or even a relationship. It may feel like hard work, but trust the Gardener. He doesn’t cut to hurt; He cuts to heal. And the fruit that comes from a pruned life is always worth it.

Let Him do the work. And keep tending to the garden of your soul.

Pull up a chair to the Table & let's have a conversation. Comment below your thoughts or answer the questions below.

1. What “suckers” might be present in your life right now? 
2. Have you ever seen fruit in your life after going through a difficult pruning season? 
3. Are you resisting or submitting to the Gardener’s hand?

Scriptures for Further Study:

• John 15:1-8 – The Vine and the Branches
• Hebrews 12:5-11 – God disciplines those He loves
• Galatians 5:22-23 – The Fruit of the Spirit
• Proverbs 3:11-12 – The Lord disciplines those He loves

Let God prune you today—not to punish, but to produce. The harvest is coming. ?