Fulfill Your Potential
Photograph by Dana Long
Being average will always horrify me. Doing the bare minimum to just get by is a very disappointing way to live especially if you call yourself a Christ follower. Every opportunity to be in the presence of The Lord or to tell someone about the presence of The Lord should be seized. You do not just stumble into The Lord's Will for your life, you actively seek it by cultivating your relationship with Him. Fulfilling your potential in Christ is five-fold. As you strive for perfection in these areas, you will find yourself more accomplished in your walk with Him.
1. Acquire Humility
Psalm 10:1-11
When things are going your way, it becomes easy to think, "Nothing will ever shake me." We can be tempted to feel we are doing it all by ourselves. This is a dangerous place to be! Humility is always found in servanthood. That means even on your absolute worst days; if you can find a way to uplift a brother or a sister, you will discover strength in possessing humility and showing Christ's love.
2. Seek Intimacy
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Our supreme calling is to be intimate with The Lord. When we get to Heaven, we will be so drenched in The Spirit of our Heavenly Father absolutely nothing else will matter! We have that opportunity to indulge in Heaven on Earth. Each morning is a new chance, a fresh start to be intimate and to grow in our relationship with The Lord. Think about a fresh relationship. When you are in the early stages of getting to know a person, you do not just want to spend twenty minutes texting them in the afternoon. You want every waking moment with that person! You want to see their face, talk about everything and talk about nothing all at the same time. Every little thing they do astounds you because they are just the absolute greatest person in the world and don't you dare inform them otherwise! That's what our relationship with the Heavenly Father should be like. Every thought should be centered around Him. Intimacy can only develop if there is a connection.
3. Establish Foundation
Philippians 4:6-7
I don't know much (honestly verrrry little) about building houses, but I do know one thing. If the foundation isn't appropriately laid, that building is not going to last as long as it was meant to. The same concept can be applied to your spiritual foundation. If you are not intentional with every aspect of your relationship, it is not going to last as long as it should. Remember that new mushy gushy couple? Those two are intentional with their time for each other. He doesn't just think about sending her flowers; he actually drives his Lincoln SUV to the flower shop, writes a sappy sentence or two and pays for it to be delivered to her office at the church. This dude is intentional; why? He's trying to lay a foundation of love for his woman! A foundation where they can build a marriage, raise children, and grow together in The Lord. When you establish a deep, meaningful, healthy foundation, nothing is going to stop you from fulfilling your potential because growing in The Lord will continuously be in the forefront of your mind.
4. Guard Yourself
Proverbs 4:32
Living your best life is often interrupted by busyness. I have a blog post titled; I Got Husband Ready For An Entire Week. In the post, I talk about how I physically, mentally, and intentionally got myself ready in the morning for seven days. You know what, it was work! I had to take more care + consideration into everything I did because my purpose was specific. That should be your mindset when it comes to fulfilling your potential in The Lord. Every step you take is either toward The Lord and His Will for your life or away from Him. Guard yourself and prioritize what is essential. Never allow things or people to distract you from your primary relationship.
5. Purge Yourself
I Corinthians 15:31
To worry is to carry tomorrow's problems with today's strength. The reality is, tomorrow is not promised! That is why we must live a life of repentance. We must die daily. By sincerely purging yourself of sin and things that are out of your control, you allow more room to grow in The Lord and walk on the path He has chosen for you. As whimsical as it sounds, it is true. The longer you shower, the more you feel clean. When you purge, often you're getting all the junk out of your spirit so you can focus on what is important, fulfilling your potential.
When we actively pursue a relationship with The Lord, we are encompassing all five of these concepts. The thing about reaching our full potential is we will always be reaching. We should never stop striving to be the best we can be in our walk with The Lord. Although we may not always feel The Lord's presence, He is with us, longing for a deeper level in our relationship. The Lord is waiting for us every time we make an effort to be with Him.
