~Potter's Wheel~

"The principle that suffering leads to glory is illustrated in Scripture by a vivid description of clay on the Potter's wheel--clay that was once cracked, shattered and broken, clay that was totally useless and ugly. The Potter took the clay and broke it down even farther, grinding it into dust then moistening it with water before He put it on His wheel and began to remake it into a vessel pleasing to Himself. The cracks and chips and broken pieces disappeared as the clay became soft and pliable to the Potter's touch. He firmly applied pressure on some areas, touched lightly on other areas, added more clay to a specific spot that needed filling in, and removed clay that hindered the shape that would make it useful for His ultimate purpose. As He turned the wheel, His loving, gentle hands never left the clay as He molded and made it after His will.

Finally, the potter finished remolding the clay and took it off the wheel. Under his skilled, gentle hands, the once--ugly clay had been transformed into a vessel that had shape and clay had been transformed into a vessel that had shape and purpose. He added color, carefully painting on a unique design. But the clay was still soft and weak, the color dull and drab. So the Potter placed the vessel into the fiery kiln, carefully keeping His eye on it as He submitted it to the raging heat. At a time He alone determined was sufficient, the Potter withdrew the pot from the furnace. The blazing heat had radically transformed the clay into a vessel of strength and glorious, multicolored beauty. Then the Potter put it in His showcase so that others might see the revelation of His glory in the work of His hands. (See Jeremiah 18)

Is the Potter molding--or remolding--you, using . . .

pressure or problems?
stress or suffering?
hurt or heartache?
illness or injustice?

Has He now placed you in the fire so that circumstances are heating up with intensity in your life? Then would you just trust the Potter to know exactly what He is doing?

For the child of God, suffering is not wasted. It's not an end in itself. Scripture reminds us, "We have the treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. . .For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; 17)

The spiritual principle is that in some way God uses suffering to transform ordinary, dust-clay people into . . .

vessels that are strong in faith . . .
vessels that are fit for His use . . .
vessels that display His glory to the watching world."
Taken from "Why?" by Anne Graham Lotz

This is the principle so powerfully illustrated in the story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John 11.

Have you seen this principle at work personally--in your life; lives of family and friends? I believe it to be true by my own experience.

Lord, you're the potter and I am the clay. Mold and make me after thy Will.