The Potter ...and the Complicated Clay

I have epitomes at the strangest moments in my life. This was my thought process last night as I took a shower. So God is the potter and we are the clay. A common analogy often talked about when we discuss how God is shaping and creating us into the people that he wants to. I read Isaiah 45:9-11.

"Woe to him who strives with him who formed him a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, "What are you making?" or 'Your work has no handles'? Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?' or to a woman 'With what are you in labor?' Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: "Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?"

Here is the thing Isaiah...yes we do question the Potter all the time. I know I do. I began to think about this. We get into a groove and feel like we know our place in this world. We think we have figured out what God is forming us into. We think that we are suppose to be one of the cool trendy mugs without a handle. Just really neatly shaped that fits perfectly in someone's hands. Then all of a sudden God begins to score away the clay, it hurts, its painful. "God, wait a minute, what are you doing?" He begins to add to this cup and begins to shape it in a tea kettle. "No God, I don't think you understand. I am a cup, not a kettle. You don't need to do all this. I'm tired. Its painful." But the thing is a tea kettle can pour more into other cups than a mug can. Does this mean you don't want to stay a mug. No. No it really doesn't. But here is the truth, and believe me its not a genius statement or anything. Finding purpose makes pain..well purposeful. I know epic revelation. I'd still like to be a mug. But finding purpose as a tea kettle makes it a little easier.