Why have you made me like this?
“You will say to me then, ‘Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?’ But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.”
Romans 9:19–23 (ESV)
Our “Why” and God’s Wisdom
Human nature makes us question everything. We ask why we were made this way, why we face certain challenges, and why our thoughts sometimes lead us into patterns we wish were different. So often I’ve asked why about something in me I wish I could change, only to realize those moments are actually opportunities for repentance and renewal.
Understanding God as the Potter reframes every curve, scar, and detour as part of the molding process that brings us closer to Him. The broken parts of our stories often become the very places where His grace takes root.
Asking “Why have you made me like this?” can become an act of seeking understanding rather than resisting His plan.
He is always shaping us for good. We are crafted with intention to be vessels for His glory, and living as the vessel we were shaped into means extending the same grace we’ve received — checking in on someone who’s hurting, sending flowers, inviting someone for coffee, or offering prayer when someone needs it most. Acts of love reveal the heart of God working through us.
How Might Your View of Yourself Change If You Saw Every Part of Your Life as Something the Potter Is Still Shaping?
When we start to see ourselves as clay in the Potter’s hands, everything begins to look different. The pieces of our story that once felt broken or shameful become part of His design. Even the detours we wish away can become part of His purpose when we surrender them to Him.
Take a moment to thank God for the parts of your story that once made you question His purpose. Those very moments might be the ones He’s using to refine you, to grow your faith, and to help you show others His grace. Our struggles become the place where the grace of God is revealed.
Practical Application:
Write down one area of your life that you’ve struggled to accept, something you wish God would change or “remake.” Then, instead of asking why, ask how:
How might God be using this part of my life to draw me closer to Him?
A Prayer for the Potter’s Hands
Father God, thank You for Your perfect creation. Thank You for the grace You’ve given us through Jesus and for shaping us for Your glory and our good. Teach me to trust You more deeply, to turn from sin with humility, and to love others as You love me. Amen.
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