The Potter and the Clay

Last week, Laura gave a powerful message in the ministry of marriage as we continued on the Roses & Thorns Series.

Marriage is a ministry and God will use relationships to squeeze out the contents of our heart. Like a potter shapes and molds clay, God wants to shape and mold our hearts so it can pour out into our relationships. The shaping process can take time and will sometimes feel a little uncomfortable but the potter knows the masterpiece He is creating.

Often, our expectations can get in the way because our perceptions are broken. We tend to see people with a skewed vision.

We take jabs and attack without realizing we are dealing with humans. People just like ourselves fighting similar battles and going through the same struggles.

We often see people, not as they are, but as we are. We are looking through our own heart that can be flooded with past hurts and experiences, rather than seeing our spouse or significant other as who they are.

We were presented the question Sunday, “Do u know who your spouse is right now?” It’s not the person from the beginning.
Life changes people. Experiences change people and we have to take the time to continually get to know each other.

How do u know if your heart needs to be positioned differently?

Heart checks!

Ask yourself, how do you hold someone’s fragility? When u see brokenness in another, what do you do with it? Do you still hold them up and give grace or do you lose patience and keep your distance?

Also, can you love sacrificially? God measures love with sacrifice. Do you love to the degree to which you sacrifice? When you live flinched you can not love or open up to be loved. And if you don’t unclench, you are closing yourself off.

And, what about Endurance? Are you able to fight against a culture or family that tell you to just throw it away. We need to position ourselves to push with patience with trust.

And finally, what about forgiveness? Too many times we want the cross to be selective on what or who it forgives. Can we forgive? In order to forgive, we would have to let go and not punish our spouse or significant other anymore. Are you able to forgive a person of the same flaws that God forgave you for? We need to let God heal us.

Nothing can be changed or restored until we bring our hearts back to the heart changer and manufacturer. He wants to give us beauty for ashes.

Position your heat and let God do with your heart what Potter does with clay.
Brokenness does not have to be the final word. God who erases histories and breaks the chains has the final word! If you believe it, you can have healing and restoration!

Join us for the final chapter in Roses n Thorns tomorrow at 10:15 am! Bring a friend!