Pliable



It's fascinating to watch a potter at the wheel, how that lump of clay keeps changing form until it becomes a piece of art, a vase, a pot, a cup, a bowl. It happens because the clay is moldable. Changeable. Shapeable. Malleable. Pliable. Adaptable. “The jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.” (Jeremiah 18:4)

How many times have you heard someone say, in reference to one of their faults, "This is just the way I am. I've always been this way and I will always be this way. You'll just have to learn to accept it." Have you heard that? You can't use a "This is the way I am, so take it or leave it" attitude with anything in life that matters. You can't do it with God. You can't do it with success. You can't do it with your health or with your finances. You sure can’t do it with your relationships either, if you want your relationships to thrive. If your attitude is "this is how I am and I'm not changing" then guess what? Everything good in life will pass you by.

When the potter is working at the wheel, have you noticed what he does? He continually pours water on his hands and on the clay in order to keep it soft and pliable. Water is a symbol for many things in the Bible. At the top of the list water symbolizes purification from sin, the presence of God, and the Holy Spirit. These three things are essential for keeping your heart pliable. You need to ask God constantly to cleanse you, to wash away all impurity—every stain, every sin, every self-destructive tendency. You need to learn to live in God’s presence every day. You need to acknowledge him in everything you do. You need to walk in the fullness and the power of the Holy Spirit. Just like that potter is continually pouring water on the clay in order to keep it pliable, you need to continually be in God presence, continually seeking the Holy Spirit, so that you can change what you need to change about yourself. Take hold of your future, knowing that the Potter will wrap his hands around your life and guide you every step of the way. “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:6)

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