Written by LaShawna Epps, Christian Mindset Coach
LaShawna Epps, Founder of A BeYOUtiful Life℠ LLC, empowers women to break free from mindset limitations, increase self-awareness, and cultivate sustainable stress management practices through coaching, workshops, live events, and more, enabling them to transform to live fulfilling lives by embracing their true worth as CEOs of their destinies.
Growth is exciting, but it’s not always easy. While we love the thrill of new beginnings and the satisfaction of hard-earned accomplishments, the process that happens in between pruning often feels uncomfortable and sometimes even unfair. Yet pruning is essential for real growth. In this article, we’ll explore why God, The Ultimate Gardener, lovingly removes what’s unproductive and trims back what’s thriving to prepare us for greater abundance. You’ll also find practical steps to embrace this process and align with His purpose for your life.
Cutting back to move forward
In gardening and spiritual life alike, planting and harvesting are undeniably exciting seasons. Planting sparks the thrill of new beginnings, while harvesting rewards us with the tangible fruits of our labor. These milestones are easy to celebrate because they signify growth and accomplishment.
But there’s one season that’s not nearly as appealing: the pruning process.
Who likes confronting what’s dead, unproductive, or standing in the way? And who willingly trims what’s already thriving, leaving behind something that feels smaller, fragile, and vulnerable?
Yet pruning is an essential step in the journey toward growth and fruitfulness. Jesus puts it this way:
“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.” – John 15:2 NIV.
Here, Jesus describes two distinct actions: removing what’s lifeless and pruning what’s already productive. It’s easy to understand the need to cut out what’s dead: excess baggage, unproductive, blocking sunlight, and draining vital energy from healthier branches. But pruning what’s fruitful? That can seem illogical and even discouraging. The key is understanding that pruning is not about weakening but strengthening.
The purpose behind every cut
Pruning serves a purpose:
It creates space for new growth.
It stimulates greater production.
It fortifies the health of the whole.
A weak or diseased, unpruned branch can harm not only itself but also the surrounding branches or even the entire tree. Without pruning, neither the tree nor its surroundings can reach their full potential.
God, the Master Gardener, lovingly tends to His creation, including you. He isn’t content to leave you overgrown, ineffective, or burdened with things that hinder your progress.
Instead, He carefully removes what’s holding you back and trims what’s unproductive in your life, not to harm you but to prepare you for greater things.
You can trust God’s process because it’s rooted in love and purpose. He sees not just who you are now but who you can become. Ultimately, He sees who He created you to be from the very beginning: A masterpiece!
Steps to align with the pruning process
Stay open
(this alone has been a huge component of my personal growth) Resist the urge to close yourself off during difficult seasons. Trust that God’s work in your life, though uncomfortable at times, is preparing you for growth. Stay open to change, and pray for wisdom to discern the areas that need pruning.
Surrender control
Let go of the need to micromanage the process. Release to God the things you’re holding onto, especially if they no longer serve you or align with your purpose.
Trust His timing and His plan. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT: Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.)
Evaluate honestly
Take a heartfelt inventory of your life. Are there habits, mindsets, or relationships that are unproductive or even harmful? Be honest about the areas that may need cutting or refining.
Seek guidance
Surround yourself with trusted friends, mentors, or spiritual leaders who can help you identify what may need pruning. Their perspective can provide clarity and encouragement when you feel uncertain.
Nurture what remains
After pruning, the tree requires care to recover and grow stronger. Pour energy into the healthy, fruitful areas of your life, cultivate your strengths, foster meaningful relationships, and prioritize your well-being. Self-care is key and essential to maintaining a balanced and fulfilling life that enables you to live long and strong!
Maintain faith and patience (the power twins)
Growth doesn’t happen overnight. Trust that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf even when you can’t immediately see the results. Stay patient and keep your faith rooted in His promises.
Meditate: Parable of the growing seed in Mark 4:26-29 NLT
Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own.
First, a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally, the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.”
Identifying what needs to be pruned
So, what “dead branches” are weighing you down? Are there areas in your life where you feel the discomfort of pruning? It may be God’s loving hand at work, making space for new growth and abundance.
Take some time to reflect and pray. Ask God to reveal what He’s trimming in your life, and be open to the areas where His loving hand is at work. Trust that while the pruning process may be uncomfortable, it is a sign of His deep care for your growth and His plan for your future. Embrace this season as an opportunity to make space for new beginnings, fresh growth, and greater fruitfulness in every area of your life. Remember, God is always working for your greatest and highest good, and through His pruning, you’ll become more fruitful than ever before.
A declaration for when it feels hard
"I trust that God is at work in my life, even in the discomfort of pruning. Though it may feel difficult, I choose to believe that He is removing what no longer serves me and making space for greater growth. I declare that this season of challenge is preparing me for abundant fruit, and I trust His loving hand is shaping me into the person I am meant to become."
Life can feel overwhelming at times, but you don't have to navigate it alone. Start breaking through your limiting beliefs by weaving these strategies into your daily routine and embracing the power you have to upgrade your mindset and reshape your story. If you’re ready to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, self-awareness, and empowerment, book a coaching call today. Looking to inspire your team or audience with a powerful presentation or workshop? I’m here to help! I specialize in transformations, not transactions, and I’m ready to serve you in sparking action and progress in your life!
Read more from LaShawna Epps
LaShawna Epps, Christian Mindset Coach
LaShawna Epps, CEO of A BeYOUtiful Life℠ LLC, is a highly-rated mindset coach and speaker who boldly transitioned from corporate after 24 years to fulfill her calling: aiding high-achieving, ambitious women trapped in cycles of constant stress, overwhelm, and self-doubt. Her mission is to guide them to authentic fulfillment and profound transformation through mindset rewiring, enhancing self-awareness, and aligning with their divine purpose. She also collaborates with groups and organizations, advocating for the importance of mental, physical, and emotional health in combating stress holistically through diverse platforms such as speaking events, coaching, workshops, and more, igniting change while inspiring others to live purposefully.
