Jeremiah 18:6 – "Can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand."

Oftentimes, as believers, we do not understand how the stressful, sometimes painful episodes in our lives are working to better us and our Christian walk. We often react with bitterness and resentment towards God for the occasional trials that interrupt our comfortable and well planned twentieth century lives. We fail to see God's hand in our circumstances and often feel that He has deserted or abandoned us despite His promises to watch over our paths [Psalm 1:6]. The prophet Jeremiah instructs us that these trials are for a far more greater purpose than God's whim or amusement. In Jeremiah 18, God tells Jeremiah to visit the potter's house. Here Jeremiah witnesses first hand the forming of a useful vessel. The potter "worked" the clay which in itself denotes effort, and reformed and reshaped the clay when it did not meet his high standards. The Lord then tells Jeremiah that like clay in the hands of the potter, so are His people in His hands. God is continually making us into useful vessels. This process will not be without reshaping and work, though. But as Christians, we have the assurance that daily trials are ordained by God for our benefit to form us into "His workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10).

Have thine own way Lord, have thine own way.
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and shape me after thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
(Author Unknown)

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