Our decisions shape our lives. We make right choices and we make wrong choices. The choice we make is the difference between growing and losing. We need to have right priorities in our lives. These will give us an idea where we will be with God in our future. They will point us in the right direction. Likewise, the wrong priorities will lead us in the wrong direction. As we grow, God prunes us for our good and greater fruitfulness. He's not doing this for punishment. It's for greater effectiveness in the Kingdom. It is positive. We need to work with Him, so we gain and grow.