That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
In life we will all face trials and tribultions. My response to the above quote was “Make me stronger for what? So I can deal with something worse? No thank you. I’m having a hard enough time dealing with this.” Anyone else feel this way? Well several years ago I came across the story of “The Teacup.” No, it didn’t make the trials any easier but it does offer a perspective on them. No matter what your religious affiliation, I think you can appreciate this story.
Teacup Story
There was a couple who took a trip to England to shop in a beautiful antique store to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked “May we see that? We’ve never seen a cup quite so beautiful.”
As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke, “You don’t understand. I have not always been a teacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me, pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, ‘Don’t do that. I don’t like it! Let me alone.’ But he only smiled, and gently said, ‘Not yet!'” “Then WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. ‘Stop it! I’m getting so dizzy! I’m going to be sick,’ I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly, ‘Not yet.'”
“He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then… Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. Help! Get me out of here! I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, ‘Not yet.'”
“When I thought I couldn’t bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! Ah, this is much better, I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. ‘Oh, please, Stop it, Stop it!’ I cried. He only shook his head and said. ‘Not yet!'”
“Then suddenly he put me back into the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited ——- and waited, wondering “What’s he going to do to me next?” An hour later he handed me a mirror and said ‘Look at yourself.’ “And I did. I said, ‘That’s not me, that couldn’t be me. It’s beautiful. I’m beautiful!'”
Quietly he spoke: ‘I want you to remember,’ then he said, “I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you’d have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn’t put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn’t done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn’t put you back in that second oven, you wouldn’t have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.”
The moral of this story is this: God knows what He’s doing for each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us, and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will.
So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to “stink”, try this….
Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest teacup, sit down and think on this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter.
— Author Unknown
what a beautiful story — thank you for sharing it.
Thank you for your kind words. I keep this story in mind whenever I’m going through something. It helps me keep the faith that something better is in store in the future.
Hi, you hang in there tea cup!!!
R: Thanks for visiting the blog. Hope you’ll come back again. Take care, A.
Thank You!!!
This is a very wonderful story. Thank you for sharing this with us 😀
Praise thE Lord. Thank you Father x
What a truly delightfully poignant story…Thank you for sharing this…It touched a spot.
Have a glorious day,
Marianne
M: Glad you enjoyed the story. It’s one I keep in mind. Whenever I’m going through a trying time, I think of this story. It brings me comfort. Thank you for stopping by the blog. Hope you will come back. Enjoy your day, A. 😎
Tea Diary mentioned this post and here I am reading it on a day that is “one of those days.” Thanks for the reminder.
N: Thank you for stopping by. Hopefully this story brought you a little bit of comfort. Whenever I’m having “one of those days” I think of this story. Take care, A.
This story was absolutely phenomenal!!! I shared it on my team call today!!! Thank You for sharing!!!
T: Thank you for sharing this story with others. I know we all have days when we need a lift. Take care, A.
[…] When Life seems Hard — The Teacup story […]
I am going to read this at my nieces bridal shower , its a tea party. Thank you for sharing this with us I love this story.I also collect tea cups. HelenTrump
Reblogged this on a thousand things to do and commented:
at mass this evening, the priest told this story at the beginning of his homily. he talked about pain, and how we all have pain in our lives for various reasons. sometimes it is to humble us, sometimes it is to remind us to do some soul searching, sometimes it is to fill a void, sometimes it is to make us remember that we do feel, and sometimes it is simply to bring us closer to God. sadly, it took being in Bagram to hear a homily that so strongly resonated with me. since I am back in Afghanistan, it reminds me of all the loss I experienced the last time I was here. My grandmother, my sweet Bear, my friend Brendan… and the pain is as real as it happened just yesterday.
pain is what makes us who we are. it makes us survivors. more importantly, it often leaves us with the responsibility of a legacy, and a duty to live a life fulfilled.
Great story! Truly inspirational.
Beautiful . . . thank you for sharing this with me; I am grateful for your presence!
Glad you enjoyed this. Thank you for visiting. Take care, A. 😎
this is quite inspirational, will share it with my audience today! thank you very much for sharing it, pity though that the author is unknown!
The reminders are greatly appreciated so glad i stopped by
Beautiful. Absolutely what I needed to hear. Love the suggestion at the end. Thanks for posting.