"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)

The local grocery store in my new town wasn’t just a grocery store. It was where women gathered to talk.

I wanted to casually saunter over and chat with a potential new friend, but I didn’t. I worried about what I might say or whether I’d be able to talk at all.

Everyone else could easily talk. Why couldn’t I? I felt unfinished and uncomfortable in this new situation.

So I became pretty good at outmaneuvering all their efforts. If I saw someone across the way, I’d duck down the soap aisle. If they tried to catch my eye, I’d pretend I didn’t see them. Sometimes my savvy moves didn’t work, and I would end up trapped in the produce section, tongue-tied.

It wasn’t that I was just shy, though there was that element. Growing up in a home of chaos, I learned early that my words could be misinterpreted. So I retreated, rather than try to speak up.

Looking back on that season of life, I wish I could pull my younger self close and tell her she was worth talking to, and that one day she’d feel a little less unfinished in this area.

I wish I could tell her God was 100% tuned in to the beauty of who she was becoming.

And I’d tell her we are all a little unfinished in some way. Even those who seem to live in easy confidence. Even those who call out your name in the grocery aisle.

Because here’s what I’ve learned: Unfinished doesn’t equal unworthy.

Unfinished just means we’re still growing.

I had no idea that one day I’d become a speaker, or that I’d love nothing more than meeting a new friend. I didn’t know that one day I’d feel complete in God’s hands, like our key verse reminds us: "We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." (Isaiah 64:8).

Do you ever feel unfinished like I did? Do you feel insecure in any area?

If so, here are three ways that have helped me feel more secure and might help you, too:

1. Acknowledge there’s work to be done and that’s okay. I didn’t realize back then that some of the very women calling out my name struggled with their own insecurities. We all battle this to some degree.

2. Trust God knows what’s inside of us. We are all waiting to be shaped with His tender touch. And most importantly? The more we trust God’s abilities, the less power our insecurities hold.

3. Our last step is to start the growth process. I know this is the hard part, but every step we take helps us discover who we really are and what God knows we are capable of accomplishing.

Over time, that once oh-so-unfinished girl started taking baby steps.

I held a conversation with a potential friend and chose not to beat myself up over what I said (or didn’t say) on the way home.

I started offering myself the same grace I gave to others.

I embraced the truth that spiritual and emotional growth isn’t a one-time deal, but rather a lifetime of discovery. God’s hands are on my life in every area.

And that’s where the Potter’s wheel keeps on turning. I’m still unfinished in many ways, but now it’s an adventure rather than an obstacle.

Dear Lord, many things shape the way I see myself, but today I choose to see myself in Your hands. Shape me. Work through me. Shine through the cracks to show others who You are. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

2 Corinthians 4:7, "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves." (NLT)

RELATED RESOURCES:

If you’d like to get to know the "Potter" of your life, and the God of the Universe who made you, please click here.

Would you like to bring Suzie Eller to your event? Click here to find out more about considering Suzie as your next retreat / keynote speaker.

Visit Suzie Eller’s blog for a free printable to celebrate the Potter’s work in your life. If you can relate to feeling unworthy, you might also appreciate her book, The Mended Heart: God’s Healing for Your Broken Places.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Consider the beauty of a candle shining through the cracks of a small, ordinary clay pot in the dark of night. How does that change your perception of those cracks?

With Jesus as the Light inside of you, how does it change the way you see your own imperfections?

© 2015 by Suzie Eller. All rights reserved.