Living into our Potential

Every single person alive has been created for a purpose. God knew that the world that you inhabit today would need someone with your particular gifts, your particular talents, your particular temperment, with your particular resources, so that God of eternity could reach into our time and our community to make a difference. Each and every one of us is perfectly suited to make a difference in people's lives.

But, the world we live in doesn't make us feel that way. All too often, what we feel is insignificant. After all, how much difference could one person make?

And even while we say this, we know that something is not right about that. We know in our guts that lives do matter, that we were created for significance, that life is supposed to be better because we walked this earth.

That longing for significance has been placed in each and everyone of us by God. You are the absolute best person for the particular situations your community and your family finds themselves in. You are here for a reason. There is so much potential in each and every one of us to make a difference in the lives of others.

And if this is the case, how come so few of us are living lives that are making a difference?

First, I think too many of us remain inwardly focused. There is no way we're ever going to make a difference as long as we only think about "me". We make a difference by opening our eyes to the people around us and seeing how our talents and gifts can make a difference.

But more than that, I think the reason why people who are not self-centered egomaniacs still never experience the incredible joy of making a difference is because of fear. It's not like we didn't want to make a difference. We've tried and gotten burned. We've tried and fallen flat our face. And it's failure that keeps us from risking to make a difference.

Listen to what Henry Cloud says: "One of the worst things you can die with is potential. Die with failures before you die with potential."

What's wrong with failing? What's even worse than failing is having never tried, burying our talents, burying our potential. The lives that were supposed to be touched, the eternities that were supposed to be impacted, and our life that was supposed to be lived with incredible joy.

Friends, life is just too dang short to not live into our potential. Look at the world around you, it's perfectly suited for someone with your exact gifts and talents to make a difference. That's the reason why God placed you there.

Go out there with the good news of Jesus Christ and make a difference for the Kingdom of God!