In what ways can we submit to God's molding in our spiritual growth? The Potter and the Clay: Seeing Ourselves in Jeremiah 18:5–6 “Then the word of the LORD came to me: ‘O house of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter does?’ declares the LORD. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.’” (Jeremiah 18:5-6) Jeremiah watches a potter reshape marred clay, and God explains that He does the same with His people. We are not lifeless lumps, yet in His sovereign wisdom He keeps forming, smoothing, and refining until Christ’s likeness emerges (Romans 8:29). Recognizing the Potter’s Authority • God owns the clay. “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). • He chooses the design. “Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’” (Isaiah 45:9). • His purpose is honorable. “Vessels for honor… prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21). • He never discards pliable clay; He refashions it. When this truth settles in, submission stops feeling like loss and starts looking like wisdom. Six Simple Ways to Submit to God’s Molding 1. Yield to Scripture’s edge • Approach the Word expectantly, not defensively (Hebrews 4:12). • Whatever it exposes—pride, resentment, compromise—agree with God and let Him cut away the flaw. 2. Keep the clay moist through repentance • “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9). • Quick, honest confession keeps hearts soft and workable rather than brittle and resistant. 3. Welcome the wheel of circumstance • God spins events to shape character (Romans 8:28). • Instead of asking, “Why this?” ask, “How is this forming Christ in me?” 4. Embrace loving correction • “For the Lord disciplines the one He loves” (Hebrews 12:6). • See rebuke—from Scripture, sermons, friends—as the Potter’s steady thumb smoothing rough edges. 5. Stay teachable in community • Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). • Local church, small groups, mentoring relationships—these are the studio where the Potter works collaboratively on His vessels. 6. Trust the timeline • Potter’s wheels vary in speed; so do God’s seasons. • “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Practices That Keep the Clay Soft • Daily meditation on the Word • Consistent prayer for a submissive spirit (Psalm 139:23-24) • Fasting to quiet competing desires • Regular worship—private and congregational • Serving others, which counters self-centered hardness Encouragement from Other Passages • Isaiah 64:8: “We are the clay, You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand.” Assurance that He finishes what He starts. • Romans 9:20-21: The potter’s right to shape vessels as He wills—fuel for humble trust. • James 1:2-4: Trials produce endurance, completing the vessel. • Philippians 2:13: “It is God who works in you both to will and to act on behalf of His good pleasure.” The Potter supplies even the willingness to yield. Wrapping It Up: Living Pliable Submission is not passive resignation but active cooperation. Stay close to the Potter, keep your heart moist with repentance, and trust His steady hands. The vessel He envisions is more beautiful and useful than anything we could craft for ourselves. |
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