In Luke 13 Jesus tells a parable about a tree that hasn't produced fruit in years, so the owner tells the gardener to cut it down. But the gardener asks for one more year to see if pruning and fertilizing will help, and the owner agrees.
I am a firm believer in God's mercy and long-suffering, but I also believe that there is a point when He says, "Enough." As a follower of Christ, my only purpose on this earth is to build the kingdom of God. If there is no evidence of that in my life, then why shouldn't God just take me home? I think this passage clearly states that that is exactly what God does with unfruitful Christians. But because of His mercy and patience, He gives us second chances.
There have been times in my life when I felt like God was allowing me to be hurt and overwhelmed by a figurative load of crap. There are many situations that He could have prevented or protected me from. But what if those situations are His pruning and fertilizing in my life to prompt growth? What if I never learn from those hard times and always resist and complain? "What if trials of this life are His mercies in disguise?"
