Azaleas and Loppers
The azaleas were in peak bloom. Bright pink flowers covered the front porch and hung over the sidewalk, filling the area with the scent of spring. It was truly a beautiful sight.
It wasn’t long, though, before the blooms wilted and fell to the ground.
My “green-thumbed” mother told me years ago to trim the azaleas immediately after they bloomed. She said that if I waited till the end of the summer, I’d be cutting off the new growth for the next year. Mom only mentioned this, of course, after coming home from work one late summer day to see that her excited, pruning-shears-happy daughter had trimmed all her flowering plants, cutting off all the new growth and any hope of flowers for the next year with it!
So, as I looked out onto the wilting flowers of spring that covered our walking path, I decided it was time. I got out my “loppers” and “went to it.” A couple of days later…literally…it was done. The azaleas were pruned back, and I was excited and anxious to see new growth.
Days went by though, and I saw no new growth. I did notice the ends of the stems leaking a red-colored liquid. It was strange, like they were bleeding. I’d never seen that before. It kinda made me feel like I’d done a bad thing…cutting them back so far. I was afraid I’d hurt the actual bushes to the point of no return.
Weeks went by. I’d go out, searching…hoping to see green buds on the branches protruding from the ground. Nothing. I had really done it this time…pruning them so deeply.
All of this pruning “just happened” to coincide with another very deep pruning. God was working…methodically pruning away the dead branches of “me.” During this, my heart was so heavy and weary. I was struggling to understand and make sense of things…to really see Him in the midst of it all.
This “pruning” wasn’t fun. It wasn’t something my flesh desired. So, I asked God to stop…to put down the “loppers.” And His gentle response? “My grace is sufficient, Belinda. For My power is perfected in weakness,” (II Cor. 12:9).
While wading my way through this inner struggle, I continued to watch my azaleas for signs of life…any life. I had begun to lose hope: “Please tell me that they are still alive…that I didn’t prune them to death…surely not!”
I remember the morning I saw it…and I remember even more clearly, what I heard. I walked outside and inspected the protruding limbs. The “bleeding” had stopped. The limbs still remained barren, EXCEPT for a couple of tiny, brownish-green bumps on the branches. I looked more closely. Yes! There was the growth! Something in my heart leapt for joy…and “Someone” in my heart whispered gently, “Just because you don’t see it, Belinda, doesn’t mean there’s no growth.”
Tears started to flow. All this time, I had not seen the hope in my struggle. My heart had begun to believe that this “pruning” of the Lord would last forever…that I would never recover. And then, my Father in Heaven assured me that just because I couldn’t SEE what He was doing in me, didn’t mean that “LIFE” wasn’t at work - ready to erupt at any moment. Growth was happening. Life was indeed working in the midst of the pruning…building new growth all the while. God was doing a “New Thing” in me…even if I couldn’t see it.
So after looking out on my azaleas this morning, I thought of you…of the person reading this column – of the one who needs to know that just because you don’t see the growth in your life during this “pruning season,” doesn’t mean growth isn’t happening.
His grace IS “sufficient,” my struggling friend. His power IS indeed, perfected in weakness.
Lord, speak Your words of encouragement to me, today. I need to see this pruning of Yours, is for my good and Your glory. And during this time, Lord, I choose to praise You…for Your grace is sufficient…all I will ever need. Thank You for the pruning…for the new growth that I can’t see yet, but I know and believe is there. I love You, Lord.
