We have an apple tree in the back yard that has been pruned a lot over the years in various manners. In taking care of this tree I have learned that when I prune it, it will grow more where it has been cut. I find that very interesting. In order for new growth, I must cut away some of the tree. If I want the part of the tree to grow that seems to be smaller to get larger, I must cut it back a bit in order to help it grow.
This is what Christ does with us. He has done this with all the generations of time, He will "prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not" (Jacob 5:4). When He "prunes" us to help us grow by having us go through afflictions, trials, and challenges, we sometimes don't like it at all because it isn't easy and it definitely hurts. Being "pruned" hurts us because we think we are growing just beautifully and want to stay in the same shape we are in. If it were that simple, none of us would ever need to exercise or worry about eating correctly again. But it takes some real "pruning" to change some of the behavior that we have grown accustomed to doing.
Notice that the Lord also tells His servants to "nourish" the trees (nourish or nourished is found 22 times in Jacob 5). The Lord does nourish us and strengthen us, but sometimes we refuse to accept the nourishment He is offering. It is just like my son who refuses to eat what I have made for dinner even though he has eaten it numerous times in the past, because he just discovered that I have been putting mushrooms in the dinner all this time, and he supposedly hates mushrooms. Don't we do this, at times, to the Lord? He offers us nourishment, but because it isn't convenient, or in a form we like, or is something new, we refuse to even read, or listen, or try what is offered because it isn't to our "taste". It takes real faith to open our hearts and minds to accept that God knows more than we do (see Mosiah 4:9), that truth doesn't change, neither does God, for He is a God of miracles (see Mormon 9:9-11). It takes real faith to be humble enough to follow a prophet who speaks out and tells us to "ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe" (Pres. Thomas S. Monson) especially in a world where wrong is right and right is wrong.
The Lord will "dig about [us] and dung [us]" (see Jacob 5:76). He will make sure we are properly cared for through His servants the prophets. We have been promised "...the President of the Church will not lead the people of the Church astray. It will never happen" (James E. Faust). Yes, dung can be fertilizer, but I also believe that in life, sometimes, dung just happens. Everyone has it in their lives, some more than others. I can tell you right now, the grass is greenest where you are standing. Just open your eye, your spiritual eyes (see 2 Nephi 16:10), and you will see just how much you have been blessed. It is awful when we compare ourselves to others because we are comparing our worst to others best, or sometimes our strengths to others weaknesses. We don't see the whole picture when we are doing the comparing. That isn't our job to makes such judgements, that is called "incorrect judgement". It will and does make you unhappy, ungrateful, and only see the "dung" in your life rather than the incredible gift that fertilizer brings, growth!
You know, when the tree is pruned, digged about, pruned and then dunged, the fruit comes. "By their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:20). What fruit do I want to produce? Do I want good fruit? Let your roots soak up the nourishment that Christ has given us in the "good word of God" (Hebrews 6:5), produce "good fruit" (Matthew 7:17) and trust that when you are being "pruned" the Lord, the Master Gardner, knows exactly what He's doing and that you are being shaped into the most beautiful tree you could ever imagine. You are in His care. Christ is the Master Gardner and knows exactly what He is doing. Even when we have a lot of "fertilizer" in our lives. This I testify.
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