Just exactly what is potential? I’ve had a definition of potential for years: potential = not much darn good yet. Perhaps a better way of describing what potential – something we all have to a lessor or greater extend – really is, is to see it as a gold or diamond mine you may know or suspect it’s there but it’s still buried and until you start digging for it you’ll never know just how much of it there is. So, we could refer to your God-given potential as buried treasure, and until dug up and developed not much darn good yet. Yes, you read right, I said God-given as He’s given each of us this unique gift, called potential. And, as said before not much good until dug up and developed by the one to whom it was given.
We all know that to get at buried gold or diamonds we have to start digging through the soil and blasting through the rocks. Yes. It’s hard labour but sure worth the effort when you start bringing all this treasure to the surface, right? Of course, we won’t start digging or blasting for this buried treasure unless we believe it’s there. It’s much like that for all of us when it comes to our untapped potential: once you start believing and accepting that there’s untapped God-given potential living inside of you, you’ll start digging for it. Once you overcome your doubts – if you have doubts – and start digging you’ll be amazed what it will do for you in your home, workplace, career, church, business, and community at large. Now here’s a caution you won’t start any potential digging until you believe and accept you have this gift from God called…potential. I see potential in its simplest form as something undeveloped, like buried spiritual diamonds and gold. Once you start developing your untapped God-given potential you’ll find yourself experiencing God’s blessings and going far, far beyond where you currently find yourself in just about every aspect of your life be this your marriage, career, faith-walk, relationships, daring, risk-taking and success in general. It did this for me and it will do it for you.
Zig Ziggler, a well-known motivational Author & speaker says this about untapped potential: “It’s not what you’ve got, it’s what you use that makes a difference.”
How does one begin digging for and exposing one’s potential? Ah, that’s an easy question to answer. Accept that you have untapped God-given potential, pray for strength to dig and change and then begin where you are. In the workplace, whatever your assigned task you decide to go beyond by doing an outstanding job, be this as a sweeper or president. If you were a mediocre sweeper you go beyond by becoming an outstanding one. If a demanding and fault-finding president you change to a supportive and encouraging one. In the home go beyond by becoming a supportive spouse, parent, or child. In your church become a participant instead of a bench-warmer, etc.
Once you start there’ll be no stopping you as awakened potential wakes up more potential, and more potential even more of the same. I’ve experienced it and seen it happen in the lives of many who unleased their unused God-given potential. This unleashing potential action will have God’s blessing and bring much happiness to you and to your circle of influence such as your family, workplace colleagues, church family, and community at large. So, you be one to tap into your God-given potential!
There is no person living who isn’t capable of doing more than he/she thinks they can. —Henry Ford Sr.
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously.
If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.
And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Romans 12:8