As we grow in our faith time to time God will feel we are due a reward within this temporal life. As I am learning though with these rewards comes a new test. A test to see if we are still faithful unto Him. A test to see if we are ready for the new step in our growth with God.
He had just finished pruning your branch and you have borne Him fruit that glorifies Him and so the pruning stops for a short time. It is in this time that you receive your reward. Then new fruit begins to germinate and grow. It is here that He may decide to pluck these fruits for better ones and it will most likely hurt. Either emotionally, physically or both, yet we must go through this to be a better servant unto Him and to those that are in need of our example and witness that Christ is the Savior of all.