The Man of 1000 Cuts

Consider this: A successful winery has many grapevines that are carefully cultivated over many seasons. In some cases, 90 percent of a vine has to be pruned in order for fresh vines to grow in its place. It seems counter-intuitive to “destroy” almost all of a plant in order for it to come back and flourish. 

Perhaps that’s why God saw fit to use the comparison of Himself to the vinedresser, and us as the vines (John 15:1). He sees the whole picture, where we are healthy, and where we need the dead wood to be trimmed away. 

When has God’s leadership cut you? What I mean is, when has God’s sovereign authority conflicted with your own ideas, plans, dreams, or actions? 

My answer is: often. 

I wasn’t always a Christian. In fact, I was an atheist for most of my adult life. So when I accepted Jesus into my life, there were many thoughts, ideas and plans that were cut away. When I say that, it brings unpleasant images to mind, of a mad gardener with massive pruning shears, just slicing and dicing my life to pieces. 

In some ways, it’s true. God is the vinedresser. That means He gets to do the pruning. He gets to choose what stays, what goes, and when. He has the authority to cut out people, places and things in my life that don’t glorify Him. Some of those people, places and things have been in my life for as long as I can remember. 

All the cuts God has made weren’t random, or without reason. Although He doesn’t have to explain anything to me, He shows me kindness and explains why these things had to go. 

Some things He cut away were idols - things I devoted my time, energy, money and attention to instead of Him. Some things He cut were relationships with people who brought me away from righteous action and thinking. Some things were ideas that I held in higher esteem than his Word. My rights. My freedoms. We think these relationships and ideas make up who we are. We have been tricked into assigning our identity to our hobbies, our jobs, our friends, our nationality. It’s not true. 

 
So God has a choice. He can let us live a lie, and let that lie separate us from the Truth (capital ‘T’ was intentional). Or He can exercise His authority and remove things that separate us from Him. He can cut away the useless things that slow our growth and limit the fruit we produce. 

God has been tenderly, but insistently, trimming away these things from my life. As the vine, I’ve received hundreds of cuts. I’m being cut right now. I’ll be cut tomorrow, and every day until I leave this life. This is a good thing! “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” - Hebrews 12:6  

God’s cuts aren’t angry punishment, they’re intentional discipline. He is helping us grow, by eliminating the things that harm us, or pull us off our path. Lean into Him and ask for His wisdom. When He responds, listen to Him.