Dear Friends,
I have seen in my walk with the Lord that every person who believes in Jesus and belongs to Him goes through a phase of chastening by the Lord; this is the Lords way of molding us. I like to call it the phase of Character building. I believe I am still going through this phase where God is shaping me, He is molding me and it will continue to happen in our lives till we become prefect in every area of our lives.
One day I was reading Jeremiah 18. In verses 1 through 4 Jeremiah talks about how GOD asked him to go to the potter’s house. Let us read through the verses.
Jeremiah 18:1-4:
1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying,
2. “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.”
3. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4. 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
God speaks to Jeremiah saying, Arise and go down to the potter’s house. When he went there he found that the potter was working at his wheel and he then saw that the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped. The potter then crushed the jar into a lump of clay and started all over again!
What did the potter do here in verse 4?
He crushed that jar into a lump of clay and started the work again. At times we all go through this process. Even I had and am still going through this process of molding where I am the clay and my Jesus is shaping me into a vessel.
At times we see our dreams breaking. I have seen my dreams breaking in front of my eyes. Things are not happening according to what we want it to be! We see friends leaving us and going! Then we begin to question God, Lord why is this happening to me? This is a genuine cry to God and even I have asked this question many times.
But let me tell you this beloved friends that in this scripture we have an answer for this question, this cry to our Lord. All the times you had asked this question, the Potter was working on the clay and trying to make it into a beautiful vessel. But some how he was not satisfied and so he crushed it again into a lump of clay and started all over again. My dearest brothers and sisters, this crushing and starting over process is very painful. I can tell you this because I have been through it. The bible also tell us about it in Hebrews 12:11.
Hebrew 12:10-11:
10. For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.
11. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
This tells us that no disciplining is enjoyable…IT’S painful!! But later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Amen!
We should always remember that we serve the living GOD…We see that in Hebrew 12:10 it say’s that our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. God’s discipline proves His love for us. He does it so that we can be prefect like him. The One who has begun the work in us, will finish HIS glorious work in us in a beautiful way. I don’t know what situation you are in but I just want to encourage you from Romans 8:28.
Romans 8:28:
28. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11:
11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
When we go through the time of molding and shaping we need to trust him and be still. Because the Bible says in Romans 10:11 and Ps 46:10…
Ps 46:10- Be still, and know that I am God.
Romans 10:11- As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.
When God shapes us there is a reason behind him doing so. Lets go back to Jeremiah 4 where it say’s that the potter was making the jar and it did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
Remember it’s not about us; it’s not about what we desire. We may desire for a lot of things but in the end His will be done. Let us look at the life of Jesus. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays to the FATHER (Matt 26:39).
Matthew 26:39:
39. He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Three times Jesus prayed the same prayer – Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.
In this time of molding and shaping, when God is doing something beautiful and making us ready for something greater in our lives, we need to pray just as Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 26:41
Matthew 26:41:
41. Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
I just want to conclude saying GOD is the Potter and He is doing something beautiful in everyone’s life. In this earthen vessel there is heavenly treasure and this makes it clear that our great power is from God and not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7:
7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
In Jesus Name, Amen!!
In His Love
Aarti Naik