January 17, 2014

Jars of Clay

Are you hard-pressed like me? Against pressure? Being molded & thrown? 

Are you perplexed as I am? It's not working out. It's frustrating. Seems far from glory.

When we release our {temporary} struggle we will find ourselves mold-able. Not Crushed. And when we allow Him to shape us there is hope, beauty, and purpose. Not despair.

My failed attempt at pottery never really was a fail friends. Even though projects didn't progress as hoped. The plate, the darn plate I needed to complete fought hard and turned into a bowl. A tiny bowl now used to hold a treasure in our home, quarters for laundry.



The class where my spirit was crushed and I despaired over the definition of success has given me long-lasting hope. See sometimes we think we have to be perfect or at least really good at everything and then we find we can't. We just can't follow form. There's a breaking point. We falter, but we do not crush. 

This, this is where God continues the good work in us. 

"But we have this 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."



Where His purposes are so much greater and so much different than ours. Where He is our ever present helper. And the times when we have dreams, we have goals, we have hopes and they crumble. They fade. They falter. They change. And we must accept something new. Maybe we treasure the new plan less. But let us not miss the glory of the story, unfinished.



Trust me, take it from a girl who learned she could fall apart. And still be held together. She could have her plans changed, unwillingly. And embrace them in time with beauty. Even paint them in gold and shimmer. Bringing light to darkness.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

This is a Five Minute Friday. If you're a blogger, write with us in 2014, seriously do it! Also linking today with Domestic Superhero.

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6 comments:

  1. So true we can all fall apart and yet be held together by our beloved God. Stopping by from FMF. You have some beautiful true reflections here. There is indeed glory in the story unfinished. Bless you!

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    1. Yes, thank you for affirming we can trust in Him! Glad for your visit via Five Minute Friday, thankful you are apart of this community.

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  2. Wow, what a beautiful write in just 5 minutes. I thank your quarter bowl turned out just perfectly!

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    1. Oh thank you Barbie, yes I love now adore the outcome! And truth is my 5 Minute Friday is usually 15 Minute Friday...and this post even longer. I simply love the inspiration of a word & the community to connect in:)

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  3. I am SO GLAD I read this post, and today of all days! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and your incredible wisdom. I will be carrying your words with me as a happy reminder that my plans may fall through, but His never does.

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    1. Thalita, thanks for visiting! I love your creative & happy heart. Praying Romans 8:28 over your life. In faith, Rachel

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