The Potter and the Clay

God is the potter. We are the clay.

Simply analogy, yet so powerful. God is the potter, ready to mould us to into anything He wants to. But before He has even started, He already has an image of the finished product in His mind. He can already see what each piece of clay is going to become, and what it will be used for. And while we cannot see that, God can. Where we only see a lump of clay, God sees the finished product.
So God will set to work, moulding the clay. But this job takes time and effort. If you’ve ever done pottery, it will be clear how much effort is involved. In the same way, it required effort to mould each of us into the finished product. And whenever anything is twisted out of shape, it will hurt. When we are pushed out of our comfort zone, it will be painful. But God knows what He is doing with the clay. Everything He does with it is for a reason.
God is the potter. We are the clay.