Girlfriends in God - May 28, 2010

May 28, 2010 

The Potter and the Clay 

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth 
Isaiah 64:8 "But LORD, you are our father.  We are like clay, and you are the potter; your hands made us all" (NCV).

Friend To Friend 
When our daughter, Danna, was in pre-school, one of her favorite activities was playing with clay.  She often pulled her little step stool over to the closet where the clay was stored and pulled out the boxes of brightly colored clay.  With great concentration and effort, her little fingers would then pry them open and she would begin to work. 

For hours at a time, Danna would pound, mold, stretch and create her own clay world. Animals, people, flowers and aliens would emerge from the lumps of clay.  Her work done, she called me to "put them up".  That meant it was time to exhibit them for her brother and father to see when they came home. 

Danna's creations would remain on display until they grew hard and brittle.  We would then break them apart, sprinkle them with water and put them back into their containers, allowing the clay to grow soft again. 

When it comes to spiritual matters - God is the Potter, the Creator, and we are the clay.  The world says we should never give up our rights because if we do, we will lose everything!  God says, "Give up your rights and you will gain everything!"  When we surrender, we gain everything that is important. 

In order for God to make us into what He wants us to be, we have to become pliable and willing - like clay.  We must come to Him, placing ourselves in His hands, the Potter's hands.  Total surrender demands that we come with no agenda, no pre-set conditions - giving Him permission to bend us, break us and change us.  We sometimes come to God, with a hardened heart and brittle spirit.  Life has broken and damaged us and the wrong hands have molded us.  Remember, how we come to Him is not nearly as important as the fact that we come.  As we give up control to Him, like a Master Craftsman, He begins to work patiently and lovingly, with a specific plan and one-of-a-kind design in mind.  He works through circumstances as well as people, through joy and pain, victory and defeat.  He filters every part of life through His plan for us and uses it to create a life of worth and meaning. 

Oh, we have tried to live life with our own agenda and plan and have experienced discontentment and frustration. Our soul longs for more and our heart cries out, "Is this all there is?"  The truth is that nothing and no one but God can bring us the peace and joy for which we searching.  Are you ready to become the clay, surrendering your broken life to the Potter's loving and purpose-filled hands?  Today is the day!

Let's Pray 
Lord, I am tired of trying to live life in my own power.  Right now, I give up and surrender my life completely to You.  I choose Your plan over mine.  I give You permission to mold me and make me what You want me to be.  I will wait before You and seek Your direction.

In Jesus' name, 
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn 
What has been the plan - according to you - for your life up to this point?

What kind of results has that plan produced? 

Write a prayer of surrender to God and record it in your journal.  Be sure to include the following steps:

Recognize that you have been trying to live life according to your plan - your agenda.

Admit that your refusal to surrender your life to God has brought only frustration and emptiness.

Right now - surrender to God.

What action do you need to take in order to obey God:

____Join a local church

____Get involved in a small group

____Read the Bible daily

____Pray constantly

____Seek God in everything I do

More From The Girlfriends 
I have to admit I am not very good at giving up and even flinch at the very thought of "surrender".  I was taught never to give up; to be strong and to depend on no one but myself.  In fact, the very thought of surrender seems like a weakness to me and is completely opposite to my human strength and will.  Exactly!  Did you know that my name, Mary, literally means bitter, but when broken, sweet? Unless I am in a constant state of surrender to God, I will surely become bitter, brittle and broken.  When it comes to dealing with difficult people, a willingness to surrender to God's viewpoint is essential.  Need help?  Get my book, Sandpaper People to discover ten actions you can take to build healthy relationships.  And be sure to check out my CDs, How to Get Past Your Past and Escaping the Stress Trap.

For more information about how to enjoy family or how to deal with a difficult child, check out the MP3s, How to Enjoy Your Family and Tough Love for Tough Kids in my online store. 

Join women from across the world in Bible study by enrolling in my weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey.

And I would love to connect with you through email or on Facebook! Become a friend and leave a message! Let's talk! 

Seeking God?
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how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

Click here to learn more about hosting a Girlfriends in God conference in your area or having one of the GiGs speak at your next women's event.

Originally published Friday, 28 May 2010.

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