Learning from transplanting

A friend stopped by this week, and shared some things going on as she feels that God is transplanting her... as we talked, I was struck by spiritual principles that we can learn from transplanting:

• before a gardener transplants a plant, the gardener will prune it back so the plant has less foliage to support after it is moved
• the gardener may also dig around the plant before transplanting it, cutting off roots that are beyond a certain root ball, to encourage the plant to develop a more dense, compact root ball
• the pruning of both the foliage and the roots is not to hurt the plant, but to prepare it to be able to survive the transplant and be healthy

It reminded me to be thankful when God is pruning foliage or roots - when He might be reducing the areas where He has me serving, or the areas of influence where He has me, or even the people He has around me. He isn't doing it to hurt me, or to discipline me for any wrong, but rather, He is doing it to prepare me for where He knows he is going to plant me next. He is doing it for my good, because He loves me.... and I am grateful....