Porcelain

Porcelain

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I love music, so much. Its funny because I have always been creative with words but have never had any success at writing songs. I leave that to the people who have that gift. And oh my, am I grateful they do. Nothing moves me like music does. And it isn’t just me, music is truly incredible. Music has effects on the brain, body, and emotions. It synchronises brain waves, enhancing focus or relaxation, and can alter our perception of time, making it feel faster or slower depending on the tempo. Music therapy reduces pain by up to 21% and boosts immune function by lowering stress hormones and increasing antibodies. Upbeat tracks improve exercise performance, while different genres affect us uniquely. Classical boosts focus, pop enhances endurance, and nature sounds promote relaxation. Music also triggers memory evokes vivid emotions and can even cause frisson—a chill-inducing dopamine surge. It enhances creativity, improves sleep, and helps patients with neurological conditions like Parkinson’s regain movement. These are just half of the cool facts that I found, but music truly is incredible, and it is my muse.

I felt the need to set up this post with the background on music, so you don’t think I am dramatic when I say that music speaks to me. Better yet, I truly believe God speaks to me through music. My heart tends to be wide open when I am being moved by a song, which means I have to be incredibly careful what I listen to, but it also means that unbelievably, God can use the lyrics of another human being to change my heart for the better, forever. And this happened to me not all that long ago.

My favourite singer to ever sing is Joanna Lavesque, otherwise known by her stage name, Jojo. Her first album was the second album I ever loved, (the first was BUSTED). There is a connection between her voice, and some of the happiest times of my life. Most recently, she released a song with the same name as this piece of writing ‘Porcelain’. It’s a stunning song, almost a love letter to herself. In it, she highlights the fragile nature of porcelain and likens herself to it. Detailing her life journey with the image of her life falling apart at times and smashing like porcelain, but then putting herself back together again and being stronger than she had ever been. I loved the song instantly, particularly the reimagined version. There is a line in the song that I would sing at the top of my lungs, every single time… ‘and now I’m stronger than I’ve ever been’.

One morning, while getting ready for work, I was listening to the song and belted out that line like I always do, but this time I didn’t just scoot over to the next line, I sighed, deeply and longingly. I stopped singing and said the shortest prayer. ‘God, I long for the day where I sing those words, and they are actually true, please bring the day, one day soon, where I can look myself in the mirror and say those words with truth, that I am stronger than I have ever been, Amen’. Because the truth was, I did not feel strong at all! I felt like a fraud singing those lyrics! Nothing about me in that moment felt strong, and I told God that. As the day went on and I thought about this moment more and more, I asked myself, (or maybe God asked me) what makes you think you are not strong? I remember saying out loud. ‘I am not strong, God. I can’t do anything at the moment without completely depending on you to help me. I can’t be a good wife; I can’t be a good mum without you. I can’t be a good friend. God at the moment I can’t even answer a work call without begging you to help me when I see my phone ring. I feel like the wind is about to blow me over, there is just nothing I can do at the moment, that I can do without you’.

I wonder if any of you reading, can relate to that passage of thinking. I wonder if like me, you are in a season currently that you are completely aware of your weaknesses, and no amount of productivity, busyness or achievement masks the fragility that you feel. You can’t even start your car to drive to work without asking that God in his kindness, would take the wheel and lead you through every second that comes next. You know that the only way you’re standing up straight, is because a perfect loving heavenly father, is standing behind you and holding you up. Maybe like me, you have never felt weaker.

The good news is the bible has a lot to say about times when we feel weak. And thank God, this scripture came to my mind as I was processing the way I was feeling. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Can I submit to you, treasured reader, that the power of a perfect, all-knowing God, is made perfect in your weakness. The power of the one who spoke stars into existence, is perfected and at full capacity in the areas of your life that are the weakest. Simply unfathomable. Think of it like superglue, superglue has absolutely no use on an object that isn’t broken. But it comes into its own, full strength, working at full capacity, when something is broken. I truly believe that is what this scripture is communicating, the power of God works to maximum measure in our lives, in the places that we are most ashamed of, during the times where we know, without him, we can do nothing.

After this realisation hit me square in the heart (and I finished crying) I went back to that song. Because I knew singing lyrics stating that I was stronger than I had ever been completely true. Knowledge of my complete uncompromising dependence on God was the key to my strength, so now I sing those words as the truth that they are. I am in fact, stronger than I have ever been.

Before I leave you, I have to circle back to the title of the song that God so kindly used to speak to me. ‘Porcelain’. Porcelain in itself is actually one of the strongest ceramic materials available once it’s been fired and gone through due process. But it didn’t start out strong. Before it goes through this process, it is incredibly weak, fragile and susceptible to damage. It is not fit for the purpose which the potter designed it for, yet. Porcelain is at its weakest point, right at the moment it is about to be fired, strengthened, refined. The fragile state is completely necessary though, as it makes the porcelain malleable and flexible. The potter is able, through its weakness to shape it into its intended design. Porcelains weakness and fragility is not a flaw at all, but a necessary stage for its eventual strength, and beauty. When the porcelain is at its weakest point, the strengths of the potter are seen, in all their glory.

If you didn’t get what I was getting at there, I’ll say it like this. Your weakness doesn’t disqualify you from strength, its actually the prerequisite. It makes you malleable and workable, able to accept formation into the exact design your Father in heaven intended for you right from the beginning. When you are weak, you are strong, maybe stronger than you have ever been.

We love you

Agape x