Let The Gardener Work
John 15:1-2 — I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.
It’s just after sunrise, and I’m sitting on the balcony of my apartment with a blanket over my knees and a mug of coffee in my hands. The air is crisp enough to make me pull the blanket tighter.
Everything is still except for the gardener below, tending to the landscaping.
It’s the perfect time for honesty. I close my eyes and whisper the same prayer I’ve been bringing to God for what feels like forever.
“God, can you please just put me back together?”
I want to be whole. I wanted to be the way I remember being before life started chipping away at me.
I take a deep breath and open a book I love. On the pages, a quote from Jon Rodel catches my eye:
“What if, instead of breaking down, you are actually breaking through?”
Oh my goodness. That is so good. It makes me want to run around.
But it doesn’t stop there. It goes on to say, “God is peeling back the parts of us that we do not need anymore. The fear. The pride. The toxic relationships. The toxic actions that we have inside of us. The brokenness. The things that once held us together, but now hold us back. And in their place, God is building something new. You’re not changing. God says you’re becoming, becoming who I created you to be full of light, full of love, full of courage and grace.”
As I read, I thought about the gardener below pruning a rosebush.
From the outside, it looks cruel—cutting back healthy branches, stripping leaves away. But the gardener knows the blooms will come back brighter and stronger for it.
That’s how this feels. It’s like He’s peeling away the things that once held me together but now hold me back.
Now, I know that when my life feels like it is falling apart, God is still working on me. Some days, I still reach for the glue to try to put the petals back on the leaves. But more and more, I’m learning to leave my hands open. To let the Gardener work without rushing Him.
The coffee is cold by the time I finish thinking about these things. But you know what? I can’t help but smile.
