Sacred Seasons: It hurts, but it’s holy: The Beauty of God’s Pruning.

When something is sacred, it’s more than just important. It is special, holy, and meaningful. It doesn’t always mean easy and painless, but it does mean purposeful. Its weight and impact last past the current moment. As we go through life, we experience sacred seasons that prune us into a version of ourselves that only God can create.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1-2

For farmers, each season is important for the overall process of producing crops. Each season comes with both beauty and burden. Let’s start with Spring. The spring is usually a time to prepare the soil and plant seeds. It’s exciting and normally signals a new sprout of energy and expectation for this season. But while it’s exciting, it also comes with the need for preparation and dedication. Next, we have summer, which requires a lot of discipline in routine. The crops have to be watered and protected so that they can continue to grow. In the fall, it is usually the farmer’s favorite because they begin to see the harvest, but while in their harvest season, they also must be attentive and punctual. They can finally enjoy the results of their hard work. And lastly, there is winter, a time for rest, pruning, and planning ahead for next season.

As people, we enjoy the results. We enjoy reaching new heights, seeing the fruit of our labor, and living through the exciting and enjoyable moments. But the blessing is not only found in the excitement, but we are also blessed in the pruning. There is something special and promising about going through the tough times. We rarely see it in the moment, but when we look back, we see how it is used to grow us and stretch us. There is beauty in the pressing that brings forth wine, beauty in the fire that purifies gold, and beauty in the soil that prepares the harvest. Each process is marked by God’s hand.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

When we deal with issues, trials, and not-so-fun situations, it’s easy to get frustrated and want to throw in the towel. But it’s in that moment that we must seek God’s face even more. The enemy wants us to give up when it gets hard. He wants us to question all that God is doing. He wants us to take the easy way out and give in to our flesh. However, God tells us that testing and trials help us become perfect and complete. So that means that it’s a necessary part of the process. We can’t jump out of the race when it doesn’t feel good.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Every season in God’s process is sacred: the still season, the hard season, the flourishing season, the warfare season, and even the one that feels scary. In every season, His light shines in unexpected ways, and we grow in places we didn’t even know were dry. Nothing is wasted. He uses it all to shape us, strengthen us, and draw us closer to Him. The pain that it brings doesn’t cancel out the purpose behind it. Sometimes we expect the fruit to come at a time that doesn’t align with what God has planned. He uses every season to bring things together.

We see many people in the Bible experience different seasons. One person we can look at is Joseph. He walked through many seasons, some filled with love and joy, and others marked by heartache and the sting of rejection.

He went through a season of favor with his father, Jacob. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. Genesis 37:3

He then went through a season of betrayal by his brothers when they conspired to kill him, threw him into a pit, and later sold him. So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. Genesis 37:28

But while Joseph was in Egypt, God was still with him and eventually found favor with his master. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Genesis 39:2-4

He also experienced a season of loneliness, and as if he were forgotten after he was lied on and thrown into prison.  But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. Genesis 40:14

But through every season, God’s plan was unfolding perfectly. Each season served as a pruning process, shaping Joseph and preparing him for the journey ahead. In every moment, whether in favor or in hardship, God’s presence never left him. From being sold into slavery to rising as Egypt’s second-in-command, God used these seasons to position Joseph to save many lives during the famine, including his family. Every trial and triumph became a vital part of the story God was writing, proving that no season is wasted when He is in control. Each season helped build Joseph’s character.

 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:19

In summary, yes, we will face hard seasons. Yes, they may hurt and sometimes feel useless. But God is always working on something behind the scenes, working on a plan much greater than we can imagine. It is often in the pruning season that the hardest, but most important work is done. Our job is to surrender our comfort for God’s greater purpose. It doesn't always feel good in the moment, but we cam trust that it is worth it!

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 2 Corinthians 4:17

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