Let’s be honest…
sometimes, life hurts.
When we don’t get the job we really wanted.
When someone we trust breaks that trust.
When we’re talked about at work.
When we lose our job and can’t find a way to pay the bills.
When our spouse isn’t who they used to be and we’re struggling with what to do next.
When someone we love is sick.
When we just came back from the doctor and didn’t get the news we wanted.
When life just seems unfair.
In John 15, I think Jesus sheds some light on those times. It’s not what He’s speaking directly to, but I think we can get some wisdom for those times when he says…
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.
Basically, there are 2 main reasons life hurts and both are meant to bring us closer to jesus.
1. to cut you off
Sometimes, things happen to cut us off. Maybe we’re living in disobedience. Maybe we’re so far from God we have no idea how to even get back. Maybe we just want nothing to do with Him. Life sometimes hurts to cut us off from God. Of course, in that, God’s doing it to bring us to a place of return to himself. He’s doing it to discipline us and bring us back to a relationship with Him that He so much desires. It’s in those cut off times that we have to repent, turn, and run back to him… at least that’s His idea.
2. to fix you up
Sometimes life hurts because we’re being pruned and set up to move to new places with God. Yes, he does prune those that are obedient. We’re not promised comfort, we’re promised relevance and grace.
Whether you’re going through a life hurts time at the moment or one’s around the corner, try to remember that it’s going to hurt.
God is going to prune, cut back, shape and mold us. It’s worth it. He’s worth it.
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