The readings today encourage us to remain in God for us to be able to bear good fruit, for us to be able to serve Him well. If we remain in Christ, we will be molded to be more and more like him so our prayers would be more be like his prayers, which God would grant. (See related reflection http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2012/05/asking-in-his-name.html)
However, what struck me was God pruning us. The gospel says:
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
It is not going to be easy. Yes, it is not going to be easy. Following God does not mean life will be easy. It does not mean we will be spared from the hurts and pains. However, we should take comfort that God is pruning us to be better.
God takes away what will not bear fruit, but prunes those who do to make it better. Oo, masakit, but as we serve God, we will realize that sulit naman yung sakit if only to bear much fruit. Sulit magpuyat to serve God. Sulit maging busy doing God’s work. Sulit mag love offering for God. Sulit gawin ang tama, knowing God will be pleased with it. Yes, sabi nga, “it is better to suffer for doing good, than to suffer for doing evil (1 Peter 3:17)”
Even Jesus was not spared from suffering and pain. The saints had their own share of sufferings and pain. They were all pruned, that’s why they all bore much fruit. We should take comfort in that, and remember that when we feel so burdened and tired, feeling that the world is against us, well it probably is. God is not of the world, and we should rejoice that when the world is going against us, because it means we are not of the world as well.
May we seek to always remain in God, and be comforted when we are experiencing challenges in life. Let us remember that God prunes us to enable us to bear much fruit.
Stay blessed!
PS
Sharing with you a related reflection on being pruned by God (http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2011/12/refiner-and-purifier-of-silver.html)
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