When you look at yourself, your life – regardless of age – are you living up to your potential…. the promise in you? And when I ask this, I’m asking it from your point of view, not what others have placed upon you. I realize that our view is skewed by what others tell us and many times we do want to please them. But never, as in ever, attempt to please them by ‘things’ that add nothing and are not representative of who you are! Back to the initial question – if you were to grade you, how would you grade you? And is it truly ‘fair’?
I believe we all are birthed with potential and promise. Some people never seem to realize this and don’t pursue discovering themselves. To me, this is incredibly sad. Why they chose this (because at some point, it becomes our choice) I’ve never understood. Regardless of upbringing, of experiences, of situations, etc. those only define us as we allow them to. Do we view them through the glasses of potential and promise? Probably not.
When you make Jesus your Lord, everything changed. Typically, You are forced into others’ molds for you, all the shouldas, couldas, oughtas, wouldas now fall away. Yes, you do have standards to follow but they aren’t burdensome. Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message Bible:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Does that not sound like a wonderful life? And it really can be ours when we don’t get ensnared by the cares of the world (especially those placed on us by others). And another reallllly cool thing is that; in and with the Lord, we can begin exploring our own potential and promise because now we have a context to allow them to emerge). Wouldn’t you love to see you in this? And it’s no mirage, no magician’s trick – it is ours when we are His.
There are times that you want to punch the person in front of you smack in the nose when they go on, and on about your potential. At least I do. I don’t want to be reminded that I have ‘great’ (undefined) potential basically because I don’t think I am living up to what has been given me. Whether I am or not isn’t the issue – I don’t see me as fulfilling my promise. Guilt then rules the moment. Do know that guilt is never part of defining your potential, promisel plus the Lord never lays shame or guilt on us. Scripture does speak to this point in Ephesians 6:6-7
:… doing the will of God from your heart; rendering service with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not [only] to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether [he is] slave or free.”
I would argue that this statement provides us with our intent (doing… from your heart), KNOWING, we receive. And all this can be applied to our potential and promise. Part of the problem may be our one and done approach to developing and acting on potential and promise. It is a process. We learn as we do. In the final analysis WE are the ones that determine if we will share, express potential, promise. Not just the visible but our how of sharing. If we are cavalier about our own potential, why would someone else value it?
Scripture tells us of all the gifts we are given. It tells us we are His workmanship prepared to walk in those works that have been prepared [Ephesians 2] . We simply bring ourselves, acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus and begin the process of becoming who we are and expressing our potential, our promise.
