Daily Devotional – 4/04/12 “You’re made to withstand the heat!”

This sounds crazy, right but it’s true. Let me explain. When I first started writing my thoughts, from God, on paper, the second or third was entitled the Potter and I thought it was fitting to go over this again. Why? Because folk have gotten to the point where they are letting even the feel of a little heat break them down even after God has made them capable to withstand it. How do I know that God has made us strong enough, because he is our strength? Psalm 28:7 says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” See, when a potter is making pottery, he or she uses clay on a wheel that is then shaped into all different shapes and sizes. Most times, not even a skilled potter can get it right the first time, so when they make a mistake they take the SAME clay, start over and reshape it. That’s because even though the clay was battered and bruised it is still usable and after numerous tries the final piece of pottery is then created. Then the pottery is placed into a high-temperature, heating source that seals the clay into its shape & gives it its strength and shine, thus creating the masterpiece that was envisioned by the Potter and the potter’s hands. Isn’t it something how a regular piece of clay can be twisted, turn, rolled over, shaped, reshaped and then placed into a high heat fire and made into a bowl, cup or plate that is now considered fine china in somebody’s china cabinet?

Well, you are the same way. You are that fine piece of china that has been created and your worth is so high, no man can afford to pay it. How do I know? Because God is the potter and he has taken you, a regular person, twisted, molded and shaped you into the masterpiece that you are today. So why are you selling yourself so cheap? Don’t you know that you’re the son/daughter of a king which makes you more valuable than the few dollars someone pays for you? Stop selling yourself short. Will you have moments of insecurity and feelings of unworthiness, yes but sometimes, it takes numerous tries to get you right because you keep coming apart, you keep getting bruised or battered and knocked off the wheel but God said, that’s ok for even the righteous man fall 7 times but yet he can be raised (Proverbs 24:16). God even puts you in high temperature situations; storms, trials, tribulations, heartache, grief and struggles, in order to make you strong enough to endure all that the enemy will try to hit you with. See, if you aren’t strong then when you get knocked down, you’ll shatter instead of bouncing back up. If you aren’t strong, when somebody stabs you in the back, it’ll leave an open place in your skin instead of a scar that if taken care of can be gone in no time. If you aren’t strong you’ll be swept up in the chaos of life, after being broken into pieces instead of picking them up, putting them back together and living. God has made your skin tough enough to handle being lied on, talked about, name being drug through the mud, folk wishing bad on your life & even speaking death in certain situations. He made you with tough skin so when folk try to walk all over you; you’d be able to take it without wavering. He made you tough so that your skin could handle the tears that will be shed and the scars that you’ll get from being stabbed in the back, front and sides. He made your shoulders strong enough carry the weight of the world on them without falling over. He made your legs and arms strong in order to carry those that may need you in their time of need. He made your feet strong to stand in the face of adversity and still march on even after you’ve felt like giving up. He even made your knees strong enough to endure a satisfying prayer life, for the times you’ll surely need them.

So, when you have to ask why me, think about this; why not you? You are strong enough, capable enough and able to handle the heat from being hurt by your baby daddy. You are strong enough to handle the heat of being betrayed by your husband or wife. You are strong enough to handle the heat from the children acting out. You are strong enough to handle the heat when you see the eviction notice on your door, the pink slip with your name on it or the cut off notice from the light company. You are strong enough to handle the sadness in the doctor’s eyes when he says there is nothing more he can do. You are strong enough to endure 6 months of chemo or dialysis or heart transplant surgery. Yes, you! You don’t have to be army strong to fight the world’s battles because you are God strong, for the bible says in 1 Samuel 17:47, “And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.” So stop trying to conform to the world that is against you when the bible states in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Will folk hurt you, yes! Will folk lie on you, yes! Will folk wish death over you, yes! Will they try to block or steal your blessings, yes! That’s why God says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Think for yourself! Be yourself! For God, the potter, has made YOU in HIS image ( Genesis 1:27). He has made you strong enough to endure the heat and he will never leave you so it’s alright for you to stumble and even fall, sometimes, but don’t stay down. When you get knocked off your feet, take a moment to get yourself together and stand back up. Repeat after me – I am strong enough to handle the heat so today I’ll stop hiding and running from it! I am strong because I am God’s!