4 Lessons From a Clay Pot

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

I learned 4 lessons from a clay pot during a pottery demonstration.

I watched a potter spin the wheel with his foot. The talented hands worked the clay until it softened enough to form a pliable lump. Even though his hands moved and formed, the clay had to submit to the fingers pressing on it. If the clay was too hard, the bowl he wanted to create would not turn out like he planned.

Lesson # 1 – We must submit to our spiritual Potter, the Lord, for our hearts to be softened enough to be usable vessels.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (Jeremiah 18:4 NKJV)

The potter in the demonstration revealed a clay bowl that had not been fired. This vessel had been left in the air to dry. While it was dry and hard, it was also fragile. The edge had broken off.

When he tried to pick the bowl up by the rim, the clay, although dry, was not strong enough to withstand the pressure of his hands. The artist flicked his finger against the rim of the bowl and the pottery made a dull clunking sound.

A second bowl on the table had been through one firing. He flicked his finger against the rim and a ringing sound was heard. The firing of the clay had made the bowl stronger and the sound happier.

However, one firing is not the final step. A second firing is necessary after a glaze is applied to create a beautiful color. But the second firing also created a more distinct and bell tone ring when flicked with the artist’s finger.

Lesson # 2 – We can still sing even when we our lives feel like we are in the fire.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

(Remember Paul was in a prison when he wrote this. I would say he was definitely in a fire of life.)

Sometimes we are told that the trials (or the firings) of life make us stronger. But if that were true, we would all be the strongest of Christians because we all go through trials and difficulties in our lives.

Lesson # 3 – We grow stronger because we overcome in the midst of the trials, not just because we go through them.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 NIV)

Clay pots that go through firings can come out broken and useless. The difference is in the strength of the clay.

When we stand on the Word of God to withstand temptation, discouragement, and difficulty, we come out of the fire better than we were before and we have a song. A song of a stronger faith, a song of deliverance from our Savior, and a song of victory.

We can know the next time we face something we have an arsenal of weapons in our fired clay. How strong we are in faith determines if we crumble or not.

When we realize these truths, we can view those fired times as an opportunity to become a strong vessel. Trials don’t make us stronger. Standing strong through the fire makes us stronger. We can become ash or a singing vessel.

Lesson # 4 - God doesn’t send the trials. The difficulties come from our enemy because he wants to discourage us enough to get us to give up and stay away from the Word of God.

But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. (Mark 4:17).

That’s why when we stand on the Word, we can be in the fire without being consumed. And our song will keep on singing.

What helps you stay strong during trials? Join the conversation.

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We can become ash or a singing vessel. The difference is in how we withstand the trials of life (click to share on X)

 

Image by Ana Krach from Pixabay