Spiritual Lessons and Pruning the Garden

I have been blessed to be taught many intimate spiritual lessons while learning to be a Gardener and a Shepherdess.... I have come to learn much about why certain things happen in our daily lives and why they are necessary for our Spiritual Development as the Spirit of the Lord has revealed HimSelf to me as the Master Gardener our Husbandman and our Shepherd; and our part as the Garden/Sheep of the Lord.  These experiences have alleviated alot of unnecessary fear and anxiety when what may seem to be a negative thing to myself or an on looker, is revealed to be in reality a Spiritual Gift and necessary for Spiritual growth.  Today I am being led to speak of the Pruning aspect of Gardening and hope you will receive some Spiritual Insight as I do.

Gardening is a time of intimate prayer and meditation for me... I have grown to cherish it and enjoy it immensely over the years and feel especially close to the Lord and the body of Christ as I tend to the care of each plant, indoor or out.  I have learned alot about my own walk/nature...  as I come to know the Character of each plant which is in my care and have been called to pray for others as well.

Father as our Master Gardener, has knowledge of the growth characteristics of each individual plant ... this  determines when pruning needs to be carried out... strong shoots are lightly pruned, while the weak ones require hard pruning which stimulates vigorous growth ... pruning takes out the branches which are dead or damaged... which are diseased and can spread infection.. which are too frail to bear fruit... which are surplus and could oppose the environment necessary to let in light and air so the branches which are left can flourish... it triggers new growth and renews the plant allowing new shoots to develop unhindered, producing healthy foliage and flowers... it brings balance, shapes and gently trains the plant to become what it was intended to be by the one who planted it... by the One who initially created it, helping to bring out it's true nature... so it can bear more abundant foliage, blooms, fruit and vegetation or be displayed to reveal it's true beauty and potential, resulting from it's internal character and qualities. 

Pruning may not necessarily be severe, especially after the plant is established ... Some plants only need Cosmetic Pruning... dead heading of spent flowers and the cutting away of unnecessary growth to maintain an overall balanced shape so they can bloom again and again until it's present season has come to an end... some self sow... enabling them to reproduce or return when a new season comes about, others die back and go dormant, enabling their roots to flourish and nurturing energy to come into the branches/buds which remain and await the next season of their life. 

Our Master Gardener prunes with an awareness... the best time to prune is when its the maximum growing period to produce either flowering shoots or growth which will prosper in the seasons to come.

Harvesting the plant... be it attractive foliage, fragrant flower or tasty nutritious fruit can be a form of pruning as well... while doing so, our Master Gardener has in mind the growth pattern which is desired for each specific plant and the seasons to come.