“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.” ~ John 15:2

This first week of Lent, we’re taking a fresh look at sin and brokenness (yep, the messy stuff).

Even if we love talking about growth after the fact, the actual process of growing through hard stuff can be messy (and uncomfortable, and honestly, aggravating—we don’t always handle it the best).

But truly, life is all about growth. Check out Margaret Groll’s refreshing realisation about God’s pruning process!

Testimony Q & A with Margaret Groll

Q: What’s something you’ve learned about the process of dealing with sin?

Margaret: I want turmoil in my heavy heart to be quickly resolved. But I’m learning that God lets me see and feel brokenness in my life at the right time—not to expose it for a mere moment, but to invite me into a completely new way of living. It’s actually the identity of a Christian to find joy and peace in the vulnerable but loving process of pruning. I actually crave that long and beautiful symphony of prayer when I get to offer a new area of my hard heart to God, receive grace, and find it softened into Christ-likeness.

Reflect
When a not-so-great part of your personality or heart is exposed (by others, or God), what’s your go-to response? Consider asking God to help you see pruning as a positive invitation to be more like Jesus.

A simple prayer like this can be all we need to get started connecting with God in our Lent journeys. To follow more of our journey through Lent and check out our other Lent devotions click here!

Original content by Reclaim Today. Reshared with permission.