When God Prunes: Finding Peace, Purpose, and Fruit in Seasons of Loss
Have you ever looked at someone walking through suffering and wondered, How are they so calm? I recently had a heart-to-heart with a dear friend who was going through an incredibly difficult season. Though I had known about her situation for some time, I finally asked the honest question: How are you really doing?
To my surprise, she replied with words like “cool” and “okay,” even though I knew the pain she had endured. Her peace didn’t make sense to me—until she shared the deeper truth behind it.
When You Want to Ask: Aren’t You Mad at God?
I finally asked what had been burning in my heart:
“Aren’t you mad at God for taking all these things away? How are you so calm?”
She looked at me, steady and sure, and said something I’ll never forget:
“I was upset, but I’m not anymore. I was never mad because I see God doing miraculous things around me. Satan wants me angry and isolated, but God has assured me that even though I may lose something, it doesn’t mean He’s punishing me. It’s a moment of pruning—so His glory may shine more.”
Her faith and clarity stunned me. And as I reflected on her words, I turned to Scripture.
The Biblical Truth About Pruning: John 15:1–8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more… Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me... My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit…” —John 15:1–8 (CSB)
This passage brought it all together: pruning is not punishment—it’s preparation. It’s a deeply loving process of refinement, making room for spiritual growth, deeper intimacy with Christ, and the kind of fruit that glorifies God.
Is God Pruning You in This Season?
In seasons of loss, hardship, or waiting, it’s easy to feel forgotten or punished. But what if we saw our suffering not as a setback—but as a setup for God's glory?
Pruning seasons can feel painful, but they are often when God does His most transformative work.
Ask yourself:
Am I viewing this hardship as divine punishment, or divine refinement?
Is this trial producing bitterness—or fruit?
How can God be glorified in what I’m walking through right now?
Encouragement for the Weary: Trust the Gardener
If you find yourself in a hard season, my encouragement to you is this: Don’t resist the pruning—receive it. God is not cutting you off. He’s cutting you back so you can grow stronger, deeper, and more fruitful in Him.
The pain is not wasted. The silence is not empty. The waiting is not idle.
The Gardener is near. The Vine is secure. And the fruit is coming.
Final Reflection: What If Pruning Is a Gift?
So many of us associate loss with defeat. But what if we reframed it as an invitation? An invitation to trust, to remain, and to glorify God even in the pain?
Ask yourself today: “How can God be glorified through what I’m going through?”
The season you're in may be hard, but in the hands of a loving God, it is never in vain.
Meet the Author
Alex Hanson
Alexandra (Alex) Hanson is loved by a King. She lives in good ‘ole Iowa with her husband of almost 2 years, Blake, and their two fur-babies, Violet and Ringo. She grew up reading books of fairytales and love overcoming all. While she hasn’t found herself living in a castle, she has discovered that Love did conquer all. Alex works in vocational ministry at Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux City, Iowa. She does many things there, but her favorite part is leading people in worship through singing and writing.
Alex is a homebody at heart. She spends her free time mostly at home, reading books and watching movies with her husband. But, she also loves the outdoors. When it isn’t freezing or scorching hot in Iowa, you can find her exploring God’s Creation. On the side, she loves cooking and is in a local cover band. She believes that it’s important to break the stigma that following Jesus is a boring, mundane existence. Instead, she has found that a life being loved by and loving a King is one of adventure and joy. It’s the ultimate fairytale, because as we know, fairytales always have a happy ending.
