The Furnace of Affliction
Have you ever watched a potter craft something? What was nothing more than a lump of clay is made into a beautiful piece of pottery with value and purpose. Some of the world’s most expensive pieces of pottery have sold for over 20 million USD. While wealthy collectors delight in the beauty of the finished piece, there is a very meticulous process the potter must follow to create a masterpiece. In Jeremiah 18, God called Jeremiah to the potter’s house. It seems that there was something in the imagery and process of pottery that God knew would help him grasp the message from heaven. And if it helped Jeremiah, it can probably help us too.
The careful work of pottery begins with something called wedging — the potter applies pressure, repeatedly working the clay to remove any inconsistencies. Your eye cannot see it, but this process orients the platelets of clay in the same direction. If the platelets are not oriented in the same direction, the clay will have less plasticity and is difficult to mold. If the clay is resistant to the potter’s hands, it is no good for the potter’s purpose.
Mankind was first formed from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) so the similarity to how God works with us should be no surprise. The hands of God will work through the veil of pressure and pressure comes with many faces — physical, emotional, financial, relational and even spiritual. The same pressure that turns one into a bitter and frustrated backslider can turn another into a beautiful and faithful believer. The question is, how do you respond to the potter’s pressure?
Your pain is never without purpose when given to God. In Isaiah 48:10, the Lord said “I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” The affliction in your life is meant to keep you dependent on the Holy Spirit. It refines your motives and attitudes. It keeps you pliable and impressionable by the hands of God. It is allowed by God because it helps to keep your life oriented in a God-direction.
The enemy will lie to you, telling you that your affliction is a sign that God has forsaken you. But really, God is with you in furnace, orienting every area of your life in His direction. Your life is far more beautiful, purposeful and valuable than any piece of earthen clay. There is a treasure inside of you (2 Corinthians 4:7). The question we all must answer is, how am I responding to the affliction in my life?
