Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Peter Marshal
He Softens It
People sometimes ask, “Why did Jesus have so many hard saying?” I believe hard words can soften hearts, while soft words, can harden hearts. The reason Jesus spoke twice as much about hell as He did heaven is because He doesn’t want anyone to go there. That sounds harsh, but it’s actually merciful to warn people about the coming wrath of God upon all who reject Christ (Rom 2). By the way, God will use problems to soften our hearts so that we’ll come to Him for help, or as many do, come to saving faith by means of their problems.
He Shapes It
God is the Master Potter and we are the clay, so God is shaping us by our experiences in life. Everything that happens is for our good, even if it’s bad (Rom 8:28), but the primary way God shapes us is through the Holy Spirit. This might be why He is called the “Holy” Spirit, because He is making us holy, day by day. It’s called, sanctification, and it’s an ongoing process. Jude writes, “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 1:24). God’s not done with that clay vessel yet.
He Conforms It
With a little bit of pressure and a little bit of shaping, the clay vessel is now taking shape, but until the vessel is conformed to the way that the Potter wants it, He’s not quite finished with it yet. The desire is to make this vessel into the image of His Son, but much depends on the project. Will the clay resist the Potter’s hands? Will the clay start hardening too soon? Will the clay vessel start questioning the Potter? The word “conform” means “with” (con) “pressure” (form), so the pressure might have to increase if the clay vessel resists being conformed into the image of Jesus, the Son of God.
Conclusion
God cannot fix what is first not broken. When a person has a broken or contrite (means “crushed”) spirit, God promises that He is near to them (Psalm 51:17), but until that person has emptied themselves, of themselves, God cannot fill them with His Spirit. Let problems humble you and shape you and mold you, and make you more like Jesus Christ.
