I prayed something yesterday that I’ve never prayed before: “Lord, give me the contentment of a lump of clay.” The clay analogy is a familiar one to spiritual formation. We are clay in God’s hands and he molds and shapes us into instruments for his use. He decides what shape we will take. He gives us purpose. He forms us to his ways. Jeremiah 18 speaks of this, among many Biblical references.
Have you ever wondered what the clay thinks of all this molding and shaping? What lump of clay argues with the Potter (Isaiah 45:9), second guessing each forming stroke? The lump of clay is content to be submissive to the Potter. The lump of clay is content with its shape. If the Potter changes his mind, the clay doesn’t get upset at the process of reshaping. The lump of clay is content in the Potter’s hands. Content with the process.
Content with the journey.
Content with the purpose.
Content. When I’m in process, content is not a word that describes me. I get anxious. Sometimes I’m afraid. I get restless. I want to run. I want to hide. At the very least I want to know where God is in it all. Where is he headed with all this shaping and forming and pressure and pushing and guiding? What will I look like when he’s done? What will I do? Who will I be? Will it look anything like I hoped...or dreamed? Not content. I’m better at sitting still today than I’ve ever been, but I’m still in process. I have a LONG way to go.
Lord, give me the contentment of a lump of clay.
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