Jesus said in John 15:2, “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.”

 

For the longest time, I used to think, “Lord, don’t let me be the branch You cut off!”—as if my entire identity would be discarded. But over time, I’ve come to understand something deeper: Jesus isn’t just talking about removing people, He’s talking about removing pieces—parts of our lives that are not bearing fruit.

 

Those unfruitful branches might be addictions, toxic relationships, unhealthy habits, old mindsets, or even environments that keep us from growing. And when you walk with Christ long enough, you’ll start to notice a quiet shift. It’s not always dramatic—it’s subtle, but profound. You begin to change.

 

• The words that come from your mouth are different.
• The things you laugh at or defend change.
• The people around you start to look more like iron sharpening iron.
• And slowly, the branches that once served no purpose begin to fall away.

 

Yes, change is scary. It’s not that we don’t want to change—it’s that we fear what we’ll lose in the process. But what if what God is removing is what’s actually been holding us back?

 

Like Job said in Job 2:10, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Sometimes, what God takes away is an answer to a prayer we didn’t know how to ask. He’s not punishing us—He’s pruning us.

 

And no, that doesn’t mean we stop loving the people we’ve known before. But we also can’t live in a place that no longer sustains us spiritually. A tree can’t thrive in the desert without water. In the same way, we can visit the desert—testify, witness, love—but we can’t live there anymore. We have to return to the garden where we’re watered, fed, and can bear fruit.

 

So today, don’t just thank God for what He’s given.

🙏 Thank Him for what He’s removed.

🙏 Thank Him for the branches He’s cut.

🙏 Thank Him for the fruit He’s making room to grow.

 

Because He’s not cutting you down—He’s shaping you into something far more fruitful.

 

-Rev Carlos Figueroa