Are You A Cracked Pot?
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Job is a hard book to read, don’t you think? It’s bad enough that he loses everything—and I mean everything—but when you consider that God allowed it to make a point, it’s a little tough to swallow. Especially given the Lord declared him a righteous man. It’s not like his poor choices led him down a destructive path.
And think about the apostle Paul. Yes, he started out as Jesus’s enemy, but when called to share the Gospel, he gave his entire life to the task. Three times I was beaten with rods. One time I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea—2 Corinthians 11:25.
And it didn’t stop him—like an ancient Energizer bunny.
Reading scripture is like holding up a mirror and recognizing my lack. How would I respond if God asked me to be a martyr like Paul or allowed untold devastation in my life like Job? It would be a stretch to quote “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds” from the heart.
I whine over the smallest inconvenience. Can you relate? And yet, God isn’t giving up on us.
If we’re the jars of clay Paul describes in 2 Corinthians, the Lord’s light isn’t going to shine through unless we have a few cracks. It’s those trials He allows in our lives that give us the credentials—the empathy—to speak to the hearts of others.
I recently started reading Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. We’ve had it in our library for years, and yet I have never gotten to it. Do you ever do that? Buy a book that looks good then leave it on the shelf until something (or Someone) draws you to it? Maybe the timing wasn’t right, or you started it, and it didn’t speak to you.
The inside jacket says in part, “Jesus calls us to a deep life, one that goes beyond our everyday interests and desires. A rested, well-cared-for soul has the capacity to empathize and understand profoundly, to ask questions and not simply go through the motions of faith. It holds our connection to eternity and can help us see past the petty concerns of the present.”
Oh, how I want that for my life. Don’t you?
It’s a little daunting to realize that we are only useful for kingdom glory when we become cracked pots. When our brokenness shines a light on Jesus and allows us to minister to others as a result. But in order to do that, we desperately need to get past our petty concerns. Get over ourselves.
A few weeks ago, our pastor started the new year by preaching about The Great Commission. We are commanded to be disciples of Christ and spread the gospel.
I struggle with this. I’m certainly not the sort of person who will stand on a street corner with a megaphone and call out, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Then again, I doubt that’s an effective method of evangelism.
But I want everything I think, say, and do to be flavored with the grace of Jesus Christ—and I fail every day. Sometimes, several times in one short twenty-four-hour period. Believe me, I’m not shining much these days.
So, how can we move past petty concerns and get to doing the Lord’s work so He can shine His light through us?
- Pray. Often, this is our last resort rather than our first response. It’s amazing the insights the Lord will give us if we only ask. Along with that comes the peace Jesus offers to those of us who believe.
- Try to see whatever trials come our way as a training ground. If God allows it into our lives, there is a reason. Yes, some things are unfair—a betrayal of a spouse or best friend, the death of someone close to us, the loss of a job. Whenever my daughter would offer the complaint, “It’s not fair!” around my mom, her response was, “A fare is what you pay to ride a bus.” So true.
- Search for opportunities to minister to others whether it’s a word, a hug, sitting alongside them in silence, or a purpose God is calling you to. For me, seasons of deep pain and grief led me to become a writer. God will not let one tear go to waste.
- Slow down. Boy, I am so guilty of having my mind focused on the next thing on my agenda, I’m not present in the moment. If we’re rushing through our day, we can miss so many opportunities to be used by God. This is probably one of my biggest challenges.
- Move beyond the boundaries of what is comfortable or easy. I don’t like making phone calls, so I push myself to contact someone the Lord has put on my heart. When I do, I’m always blessed by the experience, which increases my faith and makes it a little easier the next time.
Life in this sin-filled, broken world can be so hard. I’m sure those devastated by Hurricane Helena and the wildfires raging in Southern California can attest to this. But even in a book as dark and dreary as Job, the light of Jesus shines through.
Then Job replied to the LORD: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know”—Job 42:1.
