Episode 10 - 🪓 The Ax: When It’s Time to Cut Something Good for Something Greater

There’s a moment in every man’s life when he’s faced with a choice: stay with what’s good, or take a step of faith toward something greater.

In Episode 10 of the Rooted for Growth podcast, I open up about a decision that changed the course of my life—dropping out of college to be with the woman who would later become my wife. From the outside, it looked like I was throwing away a good opportunity. But deep inside, I knew God was calling me to something different—something better.

This episode isn’t just about tough decisions. It’s about pruning.

Jesus said in John 15:2,

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

Pruning doesn’t mean failure. It means growth. It means clearing away distractions, temptations, and even things that once served a purpose but no longer do. Sometimes that means cutting off toxic habits. Sometimes it’s letting go of relationships that pull us away from God. And sometimes—it’s the hard choice of stepping away from something good to make room for something great.

As Jim Collins writes in Good to Great:

“Good is the enemy of great.”
“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.”

We often settle for good because it’s safe. Predictable. Comfortable. But growth happens when we pick up the ax and go to work—cutting away anything that blocks the light of God’s purpose from shining through.

In this episode, I also talk about how seemingly harmless habits like endless scrolling, comfort-driven choices, or even secret sin can quietly choke out our spiritual fruitfulness. I share a powerful quote from Feels Like Redemption by Seth Taylor, where he writes:

“Addiction isn’t about self-destruction. It’s about self-soothing. But the problem is, what we turn to for comfort eventually demands our allegiance.”

That hit me hard.

And it might hit you hard too—especially if you’re a man trying to be a good husband, a faithful father, or a growing follower of Christ. The ax isn't about shame. It's about freedom. It's about focus.

So here’s the challenge this week:
What’s growing in your life that shouldn’t be?
What needs to be pruned so that something better can grow?

Ask God to show you. Take inventory. Then act.

And remember: pruning hurts—but it also heals. When you cut away what holds you back, you make space for the fruit God wants to grow in your life.

🎧 Listen to Episode 10: The Ax on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
📲 Tag @WhitmanCollective and share what you're pruning this week using #RootedForGrowth