Feeling Plucked?
Learning to rest “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land…Why then have you broken down its walls, so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit” (Psalm 80:8-9,12)?
I am not a great gardener. Green house plants will thrive in my presence, but flowering plants? They are all annuals for me. But, I adore African violets and one day at the store I saw they had them on super sale. I bought two and put them in my kitchen window. After a while, the blooms died. One I plucked, the other for some reason I didn’t. I kept watering them. The one whose spent flowers I’d plucked began to bloom again. The other lay dormant. So I plucked off the now shriveled flowers. Within a week, it began to bloom as well.
Letting go of sin: Exhale sin, inhale the Holy Spirit
Needing a timeout with God?: Take our Life Lesson
Then I saw this verse. It made me realize that our spiritual fruit is meant to be shared. If it isn’t, how can we grow more? If left on the plant, it will shrivel up, become unattractive, and stunt our growth.
I think we go through cycles in our spiritual growth just like the seasons for fruit and flowers on a plant. God will grow something in us and when it is ripe, someone who needs it will come along, hungry for God and pluck it. We may feel drained and perhaps a bit used up – but that is okay. It is the time to go dormant, return to the Word and let God nurture us. We need time to grow more fruit. If we allow that to happen, I believe the next batch of fruit will yield more.
If you have been doing something for God and feel used up and plucked clean, back away and become dormant for a while. Let others minister to you. Replenish the nutrients in your “soil” by spending more time alone with His Word and in prayer. Let the living water of Christ soak in and the Son shine on you a while. Soon, you will bear more fruit and be ready to serve again.
And, if you have spent flowers in your spiritual life – fruits of your labor that are no longer a joy – let them be plucked away. Someone else will fill the gap while you rest. God will see to that if that ministry needs to continue. Lay dormant and let Him prepare you for another ministry, or to return to that one newly blossomed and ready to attract others to His beauty again.
Question: Are there ministries you are doing that are no longer a joy, but are draining you? Will you go to God and ask if you need to be plucked from that so you can lay dormant for a while – for His sake and yours?
hi jessie– i have been feeling plucked and now i got a word from a woman, she is a friend’s friend we both know, more her than me. read the word and prayer if not alone with people if you can at all possible that love you and know you and are people of the same faith. rest in God and know that HE is God, psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd, i am praying that through this time that you can get closer to Him and feel well watered from HIS water through HIS soaking.
Thank you, so needed to read that this day, seems as though my fruit is drain of spiritual flavor, and I truly need to soak up the flavor or God WORD on touch by man but from the teacher of the Gosped of Christ Jesus. Thanks I shall be still and know that God is God even in the season of Plucked. Be bless
hi julie– thank you, much appreciated, i agree with you, here’s to a great exciting time in ministry helping people coming up i am hoping soon, also i guess its depends if the cup is half full or half empty, i try to be positive but its hard sometimes,but thank you again
Hi Sharon,
I’ve always heard that there’s a “calm before the storm”….could sound scary, but could also sound exciting; depending how you look at it. Here’s hoping that all of us that are feeling dormant have an exciting time coming up. I’m hoping it’s full of ministry and helpfulness to others! :)
to julie– you aren’t alone i feel for you i feel too that i am in a dormant stage for far too long i don’t know on what God has for me, great article though, thank you
Thanks for the encouragement Doris….I really need it right now. The devil is really working on me; I just feel that I am the only one God doesn’t hear/speak to. I read in a Max Lucado study that if you aren’t growing in your spiritual life that you should do 4 things:
1. pray 2. study 3. fellowship 4. Give
I’ve done them all to my best ability and still I feel stagnant. I have no clue what is going on; so I really do appreciate your words of wisdom and encouragement! :)
what a great reminder that we have seasons in our spiritual lives, seasons of planting, and seasons of reaping…and yes, even plucking! Julie, God will bring fruit out of your ‘dormant stage’ as you depend on him. Continue to look to Him.
Yes they are draining me and so I have let them go in order to become strengthen again. God has covered me in my dormant state for a good while now and I am being restores/refreshed/reanointed for which I am thankful!!
I wish I felt plucked; I feel like I’ve been in the dormant stage(s) for far to long. Help me Jesus!
This was exactly what I’ve been through, thank u for the revelation that confirms my decision of leaving my flock alone, and let God completes what He started good with them, GBU
What a beautiful illustration, Julie. It is even more meaningful for me to know that it comes from a time in your life where I’m sure you felt “plucked.” I hope writing this brought you as much peace as it did for me reading it.
Thank you for giving a name for what I’ve gone through,and continue to go through, this last year. I’ve clung to Psalm 27 and now I realize I’ve been “plucked”.
Wonderful words of wisdom. God gives us what we need when we need it.
Julie —
I’ve written a lot about spiritual fruit and have often used the vine and the growing cycle as metaphors, but I’ve never seen the verse that’s the basis for this devotional and I’ve never really thought about “being plucked.”
What a great way to illustrate how the Living Water and some Son shine along with some needed plucking are exactly what we need when we feel withered. Thank you for this. I really enjoyed reading it.
In Him,
Jessica Martinez
Founder – God’s Chosen Princess
http://www.facebook.com/godschosenprincess