When my clay pot originally cracked, it did so only on the outside. Large pieces of the outer layer of clay fell off, exposing an inner layer that was still intact for the most part. Over time, other pieces of the outer layer have fallen off but the inner layer remains and the plants that I had in it are coming back this spring.
That pot reminds me of myself. Over time, the harsh temperatures of life effect our hearts. Poor choices or unforeseen circumstances can enable this—deaths of those we care about, divorce, financial difficulties, children going astray. Often times we feel as if we will completely disintegrate under the pressure and stress of life. We feel as though our outer layer of protection is gone and our hearts are exposed for the world to see and trample. We cannot imagine how we would ever be useful to God with so much damage to our lives.
As we rest in Christ and trust in Him, He begins to bring forth beauty from our lives that bless others. Our hearts that have been exposed to so much hurt become sources of comfort to others who are hurting. In 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 Paul spoke of this when he said, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”
I am reminded of so many people in the Bible whose lives were cracked by poor choices and the harshness of life. The Samaritan woman at the well who encountered Jesus is one who went on to become a successful missionary in her town. David, King of Israel, committed adultery and murder, but is called “a man after God’s own heart” in the Word. Paul’s main goal prior to knowing Christ was to kill Christians, yet he became the most effective evangelist for the cause of Christ that the world has ever known. All of these were cracked and broken vessels who allowed the Holy Spirit to flow through them and touch those around them, even touching you and me today.
