Pruning - Elizabeth Matheson

I got excited today as I watched a video on brain development (children's) as part of my college course because it talks about pruning. The video was explaining about the connections that are made in our brains through our experiences in early childhood and the more we use them/they are re-enforced they grow strong but if they are not used/reinforced they are pruned and basically do not exist anymore, they disappear. This is how we develop into the person we become as an adult.

It brought to mind the scripture in John 15: 1-3 (NIV). "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you".

Before knowing God we are shaped by our experiences good or bad in this world and the connections in our brains make us behave and relate the way we do. Once we know God however, he gets to work, he is the gardener and he starts to prune us and shape us by the renewing of our minds.

It is so wonderful that God goes to work to renew our mind, to give us new brain connections that replace ones that don't serve us well and to prune away anything not of Him; we become more and more who we were meant to be; full of truth, love, hope as he prunes away those old negative brain connections. (I love that in the scientific world they also call this process pruning, a long time after it was written in the bible!)

In order for the gardener to be able to work in us, this chapter gives us two ways we need to play our part, verse 3 says, you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you and verse 4 says, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

God can prune us and renew our minds if we are in the word, the bible but also if we are close to Him and hear His voice, and obey Him when He speaks. And Jesus tells us not just to do this as a one off or every now and then but to "Remain in Him", stay close to him and keep staying close.