Black Church

Marriner’s Moments: Reflections: From Tests To Testimonies – Part 4

By Pastor Melvin O. Marriner
Grove Church

If we are to be authentic, some of us have to admit that, were it not for a test or trial, we might never have given our life to Christ. If, in our sin, there were no calamities, and life was good all the time, why bother to commit to Christ? For some, it was in that darkest hour, that moment when you didn’t know what to do or who to turn to, that you cried out to God.

Understand this:
It’s okay to be flawed as long as we are in the Master’s hand. He will rebuild/repair us; not recreate us, but repair us. We are molded in the Potter’s hands, so we must remember that clay does not become hardened until it goes through fire (storms/trials).

God always has somebody to speak to the needs of His people. Sometimes the words we need to hear—words of comfort and encouragement—come from people who have been through and survived what you are going through – their testimony.
Sometimes we cope with things that God wants us to erase. Perhaps it is time to forgive, cut your losses and move on.
Sometimes God changes our venue to show us something different. God will send us places that we think are beneath us, to speak to us.

Through perserverance, endurance and our brokenness, the Potter will make and mold us into a finer, better and more valuable person to serve in His Kingdom. As an analogy, I like to use the Japanese art of repairing pottery through a process called Kintsukuroi (“golden mend”) where broken pottery is restored using lacquer resin laced with gold or silver. Some people believe the pottery to be even more beautiful after it has been broken and repaired. Through kintsukuroi, the vessel is worth more after the repair than before. In addition, the cracks are reminders of an event that happened in the life of the object, rather than the cause of its destruction.

Like broken pottery, the Master lovingly puts us back together. He rebuilds and repairs us as we endure trials, tests and disappointments. Once we have been broken and put back together again, we not only gain a testimony and become more valuable to God and His Kingdom, we have successfully gone from tests to testimonies . Go the distance. Pass the test so that you can get to the testimony!

I wish you and your family a healthy and Happy New Year!