Editing hurts. 

I say that as a writer who has experienced it. 

Recently, I was asked to cut a manuscript down by 15,000 words—I nearly swooned! How could I DO this?

Another example involves the peach trees in my yard. Every spring when the peach blossoms fade and are replaced by stalwart little fruits, there comes a time when I must “thin” them. Thinning means I have to get rid of all the fruit that’s too close together. Because if I let them ALL grow, it will get too crowded, and the peaches will stay small and hard. But taking all those lovely little peaches and throwing them to the ground is SO hard! 

How do we handle it when the Great Editor or the Great Gardener tells us to cut something out of our lives? Something we may see as harmless or even beneficial but may not be what God has planned for us?

Wow, is it ever hard! We struggle and sometimes fight back, don’t we?

Here is the remarkable thing: When I cut 15,000 words, my project ended up better than ever. And the remaining peaches that grew on that tree with plenty of space? They were gorgeous and delicious three months later. 

God edits and prunes us for a reason, even if we can’t always see it clearly. “Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2). Trust his methods and his love.