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"Ouch God, That Hurts!"
When you are in the wilderness, God prunes you down to the roots, not just the branches. This process is inescapable,
and no matter how much we complain or try to manipulate our way out of it, God will keep putting these painful issues in front
of our faces until we finally face them. Whatever past unhealed emotional pain, sin problems, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment,
or idols you have been hanging onto in your life, the Holy Spirit will go from one to the next so that everything that has
been poisoning your heart and life can finally be removed. Then, all the spiritual sap that used to be wasted on stuffing
your pain down, can then go to more positive things that will produce good fruit in your life, and in God’s kingdom.
This process can be very painful, but it is absolutely necessary in order for you to be truly healthy.
JN 15:1-4 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already
clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself;
it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
So as you can see, whether you bear no fruit, or whether you bear a lot of fruit, you will face pruning
either way, there is no way to avoid it. You might as well just relax, smile, and say "Ok God, this really hurts, but just
show me what's next and I'll do my best to cooperate with your work". Just try to remember, that the Holy Spirit knows everything
that has been going on inside you, and everything that is hurting you or keeping you from going forward. He knows if you've
been abused; if you've been divorced or if you lost your kids; or if you have suffered from a loss or addiction. It hurts
Him to see you hurting. If you have ever seen your child sick, then you know how much it hurts to see them suffer. God is
no different, and He cares a thousand times more than you do about how much something is hurting you.
Although this can be a very difficult process to endure, the Lord wants us to learn to come to Him
for more daily sap from the Vine especially while we are going through this painful time of healing and change so that we
can stay strong and healthy branches. Sometimes, because of sin, shame, or just plain distractions or unbelief, we don't bother
coming to Him as often as we should. We must have daily spiritual intimacy with the Lord to receive His daily spiritual nourishment,
and without it, we can get dry and hardhearted very quickly.
JN 15:5-8 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and
withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask
whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves
to be my disciples.
I would encourage you today to continue to surrender and cooperate with God's daily pruning process
during your wilderness time. I know that sometimes we may feel like a child that has had a bandage ripped away from a very
painful old wound, but God knows that this must happen for Him to bring the healing that you need. Trust Him as your loving
Father, that even in your worst time of pain, that His motives for you and this process are nothing but good. Satan may try
to slow down this work by accusing God of child abuse, but don't listen to him. God has never done anything to anyone except
from a motive of love, and He is working out a plan in you that will bring you complete freedom and joy in the end.
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