I was born a certified, people-pleasing perfectionist and crumbled at the slightest mistake.
My young, delicate heart felt everything deeply and viewed errors as shameful.
In third grade, I forgot to do my homework. The teacher reprimanded me in front of the whole class, and I beat myself up for weeks after that.
Mistakes were something to be called out and put on display, proof I wasn’t “good enough.”
Part of the problem was the church I was raised in—a strict, small-town church where God was to be feared and one wrong step would send me straight to Hell.
My main goal growing up was to be “perfect” so I could avoid Hell.
As soon as I left home, I left the church. I felt like God had no room for me and that I couldn’t live up to His perfect standard.
After wandering for too many years and trying to find my way through avenues other than God, something incredible happened.
Twelve years after leaving home, friends invited me to join them at church. The church was the same denomination as the one I grew up in (the irony!).
At this fellowship, I experienced a God I was never introduced to as a child: a Creator who is loving and accepting, despite my failures, and doesn’t expect me to be perfect.
God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for my sin and inability to ever meet His holy standards. Jesus fulfilled God’s standard for perfection on my behalf (2 Cor 5:21).
God’s Masterpiece in Progress
“Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel.” – Jeremiah 18:6 NASB
If you’ve ever tried to throw pottery, you know it’s not as easy as it looks.
One minute you’re in the groove, spinning the wheel, and the clay is like magic in your hands.
The next second, your thumb presses too hard, and the clay flops into a blob in the middle of the wheel. You look at the spinning blob with frustration.
In that instance, you must start over.
In Jeremiah 18, God speaks to the prophet through the metaphor of a potter and a clump of clay. This passage reminds us of an important truth.
We’re all like clay in the process of being reformed—God’s masterpieces in progress. We aren’t a mistake.
Our hearts can leap with joy at this reality. Mistakes are a part of the process and formation of who God wants us to be.
Errors are like clay. They can be shaped, reformed, and made new again by our Potter.
God sees all of our flaws, imperfections, and broken dreams.
Instead of tossing us aside, He leans closer.
He reforms. Reshapes. Refines.
Sometimes, He must completely break us to start over.
Beauty in Brokenness
“Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7–10 HCSB
Clay is soft and moldable. It can be reformed with a little pressure and water.
When clay hardens, it can easily break.
One day over coffee, a friend told me about the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery called “Kintsugi.”
Rather than trying to hide the cracks, the Japanese artist highlights the cracks by filling them with something precious—a lacquer mixed with gold powder.
The gold mixture makes the pottery piece more beautiful and unique.
This is exactly what God does in our lives. He doesn’t throw us away because we are broken or have a crack.
The Lord fills our cracks with something better than gold—His glory!
We are God’s masterpieces in progress—despite our imperfections. Our brokenness and flaws display God’s grace and love for us.
Where once we see our failures, now we can see God’s fingertips reshaping and filling us for His glory.
We’re never broken beyond repair with God. We’re never out of reach from the hands of our loving Potter.
Even if we’re shattered, He can put us back together.
It’s never too late for transformation.
Just like Kintsugi, no matter how broken or damaged, the cracks don’t disqualify us from being beautiful.
The Truth When You Feel Unworthy
Our shortcomings and feelings of not being enough are a part of God shaping us into who He wants us to be for His glory.
Here are three truths to write on our hearts when feelings of unworthiness creep in:
#1 – Mistakes don’t disqualify you.
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me. Lord, Your love is eternal.” – Psalm 138:8 HCSB
#2 – You’re never too broken.
“The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18 HCSB
#3 – God isn’t done with you yet.
“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6 HCSB
God is the ultimate Creator, applying just the right amount of pressure, filling in the gaps with His grace, and reshaping us.
The next time you think you’re not good enough or too broken to be loved, look at your life through the lens of our Creator’s hands.
Trust our Potter. He’s molding us for something new and better.
We’re God’s masterpieces in the making.
Jeri Stunkard
Hi, I’m Jeri—a Jesus-loving writer, artist, and coffee enthusiast. By day, I’m a graphic designer and social media manager. Off the clock, I dive into Scripture and share my Bible study takeaways on Instagram, blending faith and creativity to inspire others on their spiritual journey. Connect with me at Have Faith Studio and on Instagram.
