“The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: So he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

How many times have we said, “Use me, Lord!” or “I’ll do whatever You ask!” and “Whatever it takes for my will to break, that’s what I’ll be willing to do!”  Yet when the trials and opposition come, and things get tougher, we begin to struggle and fight against it praying for it to end.

God is trying to form and shape us into the vessel HE wants us to be. When we fight against the storms, whose will are we really seeking?  God’s will? Or our own?  He knows what’s best for us and will not put on us more than we can bear (although sometimes we feel it is). When we come through these trials, we’ll be refined like silver and tried like gold.

Trials will either make you…bitter or better.   You can either become…a victim or a victor.

Through trials you gain:

  • Experience
  • Knowledge
  • Endurance
  • Patience
  • Understanding
  • Compassion
  •  Love
  •  Faith

God has each of us on the potter’s wheel, but sometimes we resist the way He’s forming us.  He’s trying to shape us one way, but we’re pulling in another. If we have our way, we will be deformed. But, if we let God have His way, we’ll be transformed into a vessel of honor…something we both will be proud of.

It hurts!  Oh, how it hurts at times…but stay yielded to the Potter’s will!

Author

Deonna Gregory is the pastor’s wife at Living Water Pentecostal in Scotts Hill, TN

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