Fruit trees and rose bushes reach a time of dormancy or rest each winter. That is the best time to prune. I'll dive in with gloves and sheers and cut off all the dead places and cut back the branches to the new growth buds. If there are too many branches shooting off, I will need to remove some to give them room to breath and grow in a healthy way.

Since my apricot tree is young—just planted in the Fall, it needs to be pruned back even farther than a mature tree so that it's root structure can go deep and establish itself.

So how does this apply to my spiritual life? During times of rest--for me that's each Sunday, or during times of dormancy—when my life isn't bearing fruit, I need to take that as a time to examine my life. Dive in with my Bible and prayer and look at the main direction of my life in order to examine its direction and growth. Then I should cut out every part that is going the wrong direction or that is dead.

I noticed when I pruned back my trees and bushes that it was a dramatic change.  I need not fear drastic change in my life when it is lead by the Lord. He may cut off (or have me cut off) beautiful "branches" in order for the overall direction and health of my spiritual life to bear fruit.

One of the main warnings that I took from this experience was to not have too many branches growing at the same time. There are so many good and worth while things that we can be involved in doing. If I choose to be part of too many of them it will crowd out the best things and I'll miss the fruitful life that God had intended for me and family.