noble or common…He gets to decide

So this morning I was be-bopping through my devotionals {…yeah, I’m a ‘morning’ person. I’m cool like that…}, and I had one more verse to read before heading downstairs to start my usual {and newly-acquired} routine when this verse caught me right on the jaw.

“But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?” {Romans 9:20-21…emphasis mine}

Ummm…{gulp}…uh-huh.

It made me think of every time I had complained about where God had placed me.
It reminded me that my plan isn’t always His plan.
It blew apart my lil’ house-of-cards that looked so…well-built.

My complaining.
My griping.
My frustration.
My irritation.
My anger. {Yeah, I can admit it. Can you?}
My hurt.
My disappointment. {This one isn’t so easy to confess either.}
My discouragement.
My pouting.

‘…who are you, O man, to talk back to God…’

Does He not have the right to choose my purpose?
Does He not have the right to decide my path?
Does He not have the right to pick how He wants to use me?

Does He not have the…right.

I realize I didn’t put a question mark at the end of that statement. Because that’s really what it is. A statement. Not a question. Because when God is at work, where we might put question marks, He places periods.

He’s not confused.
He’s not mixed up.
He’s not concerned.

He is in…control.

And what right do you have, oh human-person, to talk back to Him?

It’s okay to feel hurt.
It’s okay to crumple to the ground.
It’s okay to curl up in a ball in order to deal with the pain.
It’s okay to want to stop.
It’s okay to not want to continue moving forward.
It’s okay to want to pitch a fit because it’s not your ‘turn’…yet.

And it’s also okay to pour out your heart before Him. {After all, He knows it anyways.}

But just be attentive to when ‘pouring out your heart’ turns into talking ‘back’.
Take notice when your hurt takes that slight turn toward the bitter trail.
Be aware of when your frustration starts to harden into something not good.

Because those things aren’t okay.

He cares.
He knows.
He sees.

So stop trying to shove, push, and force it to happen.

It will. In His time.

And for His purpose.

And for whatever use He decides.

Noble. Or common.

{Image courtesy of Flickr}