Renee🌻

Words Among Clay Pots

After sharing a scripture on her post, Jacquie at Joy Cottage, encouraged me to share my thoughts. It can be found in Psalms 19:14.

MY WORDS ARE POWERFUL
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL

They have authority to:

  • Speak things into existence
  • Edify/bless/encourage/heal
  • Set the mood/temperature in the home
  • Change a destiny/heart/mind/situation
  • Tear down/destroy/wound
  • curse/abuse

Reflecting on that scripture, it brought to mind, a time when my words tasted like sour grapes in my mouth.

I was angry. Bruised. Hurting. Tired of fighting all the negative forces in my life.

If I were to be perfectly honest, I had completely given up on myself at that point.

Allowing the outside forces in my life to leave a splinter of wood inside my heart, the results were devastating. That splinter began to fester. Get infected. I grew snappy with attitude. Nothing was right with my fellow man or myself.

Looking back now, I am completely ashamed with myself! How had I let the enemy sift me as wheat?

That old devil is sly. He studies our weaknesses and then uses them against us!

I was tired and weary from the fight and began to believe the lies the enemy planted.

My life would never change. God didn’t care. He would not come to the rescue, because I was not worth the effort.

Some of the problems I was dealing with daily clouded my thinking on the level that it affected my behavior and decisions I made inside the church, as well.

I could not get over some things that had been done and said to me. I tried on a daily! I could not tell you how many times a day I prayed through those bitter feelings, only for them to bombard my mind later on in the day.

I said some things that I am totally ashamed of now. I had to ask forgiveness from leadership in the end. Not a proud moment.

Bitterness had taken root inside me. I knew something was wrong, but could not put my finger on the problem. I would pray and weep before the Lord, but felt something was hindering a breakthrough.

The funny part is, if you had told me bitterness was growing in my garden, at the time, I wouldn’t have seen it.

Bitterness blinds. We are hurt. Wounded. Gutted. Angry. Frustrated.

When bitterness sprouts, it takes over. Rebellion got a hold of me. “Stinking thinking” spewed out of my mouth. What in the world was wrong with me?!

The enemy was talking to me about who he said I was.

If I was so loved of God, how come all this had happened in the first place?

How could I ever live it down?

When I looked into the mirror in the mornings, I loathed myself. I completely bought into the devil’s lies. His whispers became my truth.

You are not good enough, strong enough, smart enough, pretty enough.

You can’t do anything right. Why try? You will never amount to anything.

….They did not really forgive you. You will never be used of God EVER again.

That root was growing into a tree. A beam in my eye. Up until the point of my reckoning day. I finally came to a place where I asked God to show me what was growing in my garden. And oh how He did!

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be DEFILED;”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭

It wasn’t what I imagined to see or hear, for that matter. He revealed to me that I had let bitterness completely take over the garden of my heart, and because of that, my heart was defiled!

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12:34-37‬ ‭

WORDS CAN MAKE OR BREAK

I’m so glad God did not leave me in this state of array. Healing came at a ladies retreat, where I watched a skit about three earthly vessels.

One was beautiful, made of porcelain and was so full of themselves, but the one that completely broke me down was the clay vessel that had a crack.

“But I’m not beautiful. I am cracked. Look at me. I cannot be used of God. I am so ugly. I’m just made of clay,” one of the women spoke with passion.

Something broke inside me that night. With gut-wrenching sobs I desperately tried holding back a river of torrential hurt, pain, unforgiveness and bitterness. I was not the only one who made their way to an old-fashioned altar. There were women crying everywhere.

For you see, we are all a little cracked. Imperfect. And in need of desperately placing ourselves back on the Potter’s Wheel. Where only He can remake us, remold and shape our lives made of clay.

God began to reveal to me, that the broken vessels are the ones The Potter can use.

I did a complete 360 turn-around that night.

He unraveled all the lies the enemy had tangled me into for so long, and I realized that:

“STINKING THINKING” HAD TO GO!!!

I began to read, pray and BELIEVE scriptures that spoke life to myself and others—the total opposite of the enemy’s report. I thought on the pure, lovely and just things, watching what I said, did and partook in.

It was a long, hard journey that led me here. One that involved praying that above prayer. That was around twenty years ago.

I believe a NEW REPORT now! I am fearfully and wonderfully made into the image of Christ! And so are you, my friend!

“LORD, I want to make you happy. I want my words and my thoughts to please you. You are my strong Rock and you are my Redeemer.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:14‬ ‭‬EASY

If you find yourself in a similar boat, won’t you find a quiet place to reflect on what voice you are listening to? Give God all the broken pieces.

And the God who truly does love you, will make you into a beautiful vessel of honor, to show forth His praises!

Lord, please let the words of my 👄 and the meditation of my 💜 be acceptable and pleasing in your sight 🤓! Now THAT’S the kind of 20/20 “Vision” I want to see for the rest of this year!!! What about you?

Published by Renee🌻

Life is a series of lessons we learn by way of the school of hard knocks. I feel I have a degree in this one. It has made me who I am today--I am Renee--My name is French, meaning Reborn. I believe there is a lot in a name, because that's just who I am. Spirit-filled. Encourager. Reader. Author. Blogger. Lover of love, God, His Word, hearts, dragonflies, nature and coffee!~❤️Aka Nonna. 3 grand-boys, 3 grand-daughters-- 2 girls. 💌 Married 28 years. “May God grant you always...A sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you. Faithful friends near you. And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.”~~Irish Blessings~~

34 comments

  3. It’s awesome to me just how similar our (so many of us!) stories are, Renee. You have such a sweet and authentic way of expressing these truths. Grateful you let God speak and write through you—so we may all benefit! 😊🙏🏻💓

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Nina, they are the lessons and truths I’ve had to learn the hard way! But you know, none of us were born with all the answers. We have to live and learn. Oh that learning process!(ouch!) I’ve always said, it’s not a shame making mistakes, it’s a shame when we don’t learn by them.

      Thank you for your well of flowing, encouraging words and kindness towards me! I thank my God for you! Kindred spirits we are! 💕💎

      It’s nice to know there are others who know where I’m coming from. Who have shared in this journey.

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  4. Oh, Renee, I am so glad you shared what was on your heart. I love the fact that God doesn’t discard us when we mess up. He is loving and faithful, as He guides us in the way of Truth. You truly are God’s workmanship Ephesians 2:10. Blessings ♥♥♥

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    • Sharing is sometimes hard, Jacquie. We don’t want to show our vulnerabilities or weaknesses. We are human, but God wants us to show our scars, because it gives others hope. Hope that their failures don’t have the final say-so, but God does! Something tells me you have had your own tests and trials that may help someone feel His hope. Thanks for encouraging me to share. I’m so thankful the Lord helped us to cross paths! 🤗💕

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  5. Thank you for sharing this so honestly Renee. What would we do if HE was not there for us even through all our mistakes. He is a faithful God, who builds us up, grows us and refines us to be more like Him. Words are indeed so powerful. They can linger on in our hearts and minds and if we do not surrender them to God, Satan keeps watering them and unbeknown to us they do grow and we harbour anger and bitterness along with it.
    Blessings to you.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • You are welcome, Manu. I totally agree! It’s important to share the things we have learned along the way. I would rather hear someone else’s struggles and learn by them, than have to go that same route. Wisdom listens and learns by and through others. It sure saves us from bearing the same scars!
      We would be nothing without God’s Grace and mercy! Thank you for sharing your heart! 💜

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Wow-I am speechless, Linda… 😢 Thank you for the greatest compliment ever! 💜🤗 I hope it helped.
      This was one of the hardest posts to put out there..for personal reasons and everything that can happen really kept me from finishing the post when I first felt to put it out there…It was hard admitting to being a Negative Nilly once upon a time. But God uses teaching moments like these to pass along to others. Everything we go through is to help someone else along their journey. Thanks again for making my day! Blessings girl!💕

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  9. Loved it reading from first to last!! How dangerous bitterness it! 😨 I believe, every heart that is truly seeking IS a cracked heart of clay longing for love, but has become defiled by bitterness! Thank God for this Amazing Potter, who does not abandon us in our miserable state!! You’ve explained very beautifully!! God bless!

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  12. “That old devil is sly. He studies our weaknesses and then uses them against us!”

    You know the bad thing about it is that so many struggle with addiction to alcohol, drugs, porn, money, etc and Satan has never had had any of these problems.

    We lack Godly jealousy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. Amen! God is good, and He has blessed you in awesome ways. I was reading three different devotionals, and each focused on how our hearts and thoughts can fill with confusion, anger, and bitterness. God has blessed my own life with forgiveness, and Jesus has taught be with His bread of life. God’s peace to you Renee!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you for helping me to stop and reflect on some of the ways God has blessed! Sometimes we need to stop and think on the good things He has done!

      I love it when we get confirmation and unity in the Spirit! God is so amazing like that, especially in reading several posts that deal with the same subject.

      Where would we be without that bread of life showing us the importance of forgiveness?

      Thank you for reading and especially for the blessings of God’s peace! 🙂😄

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