Have you ever considered if you have what it takes? Do you believe you have something to offer others? Has anyone ever told you, you would be good at _________ ? You fill in the blank. All of these questions have to do with potential – what you already have inside yourself and what can make you who you will become.
We are all born with endless potential. The possibilities of who we become is a resource ready to be tapped, exposed and affirmed by key players in our lives. Our potential waits to bloom as a flower waits for the sun and rain to touch it’s petals in a greeting of nourishment. We all just need the right ingredients for potential to develop and become understood.
As a child, we faced endless possibilities of who we could become. You may have had parents who told you, you could become anything you wanted to be. Maybe there was another key player in your life, such as a teacher, who recognized something inside of you that you had not seen in yourself. As a child of God, I also recognize that God created me for a unique purpose and it all has to do with the potential He wired me with even before I was born.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT
The seasons of our lives is an evolution of realizing our potential. A trusted key player, who believes we carry a unique gift, only need tell us and we can start believing that we have something to offer that we didn’t realize was already within us. Saying who we are out loud has the power to bring our inner selves into focus. Seeing who we are from someone else’s perspective provides a new view of the person that God uniquely created.
[Tweet “Potential is realized when the view of ourselves comes into focus.”]
God created us to be the best we can be. He also knows that our gifts will be unlike anyone else’s and this individuality is what makes our world so amazing. When we understand we carry potential, we begin to believe we can be the best person we can possibly be. When we allow God to uncover the layers of who we are, we open ourselves to the beauty of what God created us to be. When we say “yes” to God’s gifts and use them to honor Him, others and ourselves, we have taken our uniqueness and made it even better.
God knows we are able to do more than we think we can.
God entrusts us with His gifts as a blessing to be shared with others.
God always believes the best about us and still provides grace and forgiveness when we forget.
God is the key player in our lives who would love nothing more than to see us become the best we can be.
God is our today, tomorrow and yesterday. He stands by our sides and loves who we are through our trials, joys and weaknesses. He is our Savior!
Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3 MSG
Have you realized your full potential? Do you believe that you were created for more?
May we believe in ourselves because we have a God who has entrusted us with unique gifts to realize our potential.
Blessings of grace along the way!
Mary
Linking up with these beautiful ladies!
and Dawn for Grace Moments
Potential seems to be a word that keeps presenting itself in front of me, Mary. Did you know that the 11th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, Kaph/Kaf, is a symbol of an outstretched hand, palm up, which means potential? He is the source of our possibility. I love that you included Isaiah 43 here. 2 Corinthians 4 is good too, at focusing on our potential in Him. We have to release our grip on what is holding us down to grab a hold on to His as we say yes to that call, don’t we. The potential we own is not limited to our understanding and that amazes me how God does that in and through us.
Thanks for sharing this at #GraceMoments Link Up.
You have added such great insight today, Dawn. I am not familiar with the Hebrew alphabet but I am intrigued to learn more now that you shared about the 11th letter. An outstretched hand is a beautiful image of potential in my eyes. You have such a beautiful way of expressing yourself and sharing your heart. I am blessed you stopped by and joined in the conversation.
Definitely joining you in believing we haven’t reached our full potential, Mary. I love what you say about God thinking I can do more than I think I can do! This week, I’m realizing (AGAIN) how perfectionism holds me back. I think it has to be perfect, and that makes me hesitate to try things.
Amen! I love this time of my life and the fact that I get a sequel. The gift of time to see what else God has planned for me. May we let go of our perfectionism and know that God believes in us just as we are. Blessings on your weekend!
Hi Mary! I can’t tell you how lovely this post is, and how much we all need to hear about our potential. We always hear about how much God can do with us, and I don’t know about you, but it gets a little overwhelming at times. “What does that mean? Am I doing everything I’m supposed to be doing?”
You remind me that God leads and illumines at the right time. I don’t have to exhaust myself looking or creating the right thing…my eyes will be opened in time.
Have a blessed weekend Mary!
Ceil
We live in a world that promotes faster, better and the belief we can do things better than anyone else. We don’t make space for God to do what He does so well-take care of us! It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking we are not doing enough because the world wants us to believe that. God is able to do more when we let go and let Him do what He has planned. He filled each of us with potential and would love to show us how it can be used to honor Him. Thank you for the beautiful compliment about this post. God shares words that He knows I need to hear and I always pray that someone else needs to hear them too.
“God always believes the best about us and still provides grace and forgiveness when we forget.” Now that’s a reminder I needed today. Yesterday was a hard day and one that the enemy would like to keep beating me up about…but God always believes the best about me! Thanks, friend. xoxo
God does believe the best about you and the rest of us. The faster we embrace that truth, the better off we would be. I am hoping that you have heard nothing but truth today to fill you up instead of the enemy trying to tear you down. Love you friend!
Even at 69 I know God has more in store for me. this is a great post, one that encourages in what ever stage of life we are in. When we went to the mission field I found out i was terrible at learning a new language and was discouraged for a time. then God begin to show me other ways to encourage women besides speaking their language. Everyone understands love extended.
I love the hope I hear in your words. I believe we have potential at any age, in fact, I still see that in my dad who is 94 years old. I am sure your story of being on the mission field would teach me so much as well as point to how God was able to use you even when you did not feel qualified. I am blessed you stopped by here today, Betty.
I am so glad that we are created unique and given different gifts and abilities. It sure would be a boring world if we all looked the same, acted the same, etc. So much THIS: “Saying who we are out loud has the power to bring our inner selves into focus. Seeing who we are from someone else’s perspective provides a new view of the person that God uniquely created” Didn’t someone write a similar post this week about being who God created us to be? 🙂
I love the unique personalities we have been gifted with by God. Our story is unlike anyone else’s story and the way it unfolds depends on how the Author wrote it to begin with. It is what makes our world the beautiful canvas that it is. And yes, you wrote beautiful words in your “Raw and Real” post this past week. Thank you for being you and spending time here with me! 🙂
I’m clinging to these words today: “God is our today, tomorrow and yesterday. He stands by our sides and loves who we are through our trials, joys and weaknesses.” My perspective is so often skewed by pain of various kinds that I fail to fully take on board the way God (and others) see me, or receive the love they offer. I hope and pray to have the potential to do all that God is calling me to, and to know I’m created for more than my own narrow vision can currently see. I’m so thankful for your faithfulness to write out what God is teaching you. It speaks to my soul to soothe and inspire. I see huge potential in you, Mary, and in others. Believing it for myself is a whole other story sometimes! <3
It is easy to be hard on ourselves and believe that we are not good enough or just not enough. But God will always tell us otherwise. I see amazing talent and caring in you. I love your transparent heart and ability to share your story but still show us the hope throughout. Thank you for blessing me with your friendship and encouragement.
“Don’t be afraid, I have redeemed you,” Such important words too, when it comes to our potential. Because of past mistakes, I can hold myself back from potential rather than just look up and know He’s got it!And so true that having others, having friends who speak into our lives is so necessary, and us into theirs, as we build each other up as called.
I am humbled to know that God redeems and loves us unconditionally. God is a God of second chances. The potential is always there and letting God show us how to use it to honor Him is hard for us to do when we feel like we have made mistakes with our life. I pray we know that God has us covered and is willing to show us the way. I also hope we listen when others speak truth into us. Blessed you joined me here today, Lynn!
There’s a lot of talk these days of how our difference divide us, but you’ve given us an example of the beauty God created in each and every one of us through our differences and unique qualities, Mary. What a boring world this would be if we were all the same. We simply need to learn to look to God to connect with others who are different. And we need to let God bring out the beauty of our uniqueness instead of relying on our human efforts to find significance and purpose. We are clueless when it comes to what all we can do with God working in and through us! So I thank you for challenging us to see things from His perspective, my friend!
I appreciate how you take my words and push them just a little bit farther. Our world would be boring if God had not created us so differently. What I really like is that God should be the connector that draws us all together. Instead we try to figure it out and don’t do it very well most of the times.
Your insight always adds so much to the conversation. Thank you for joining me here. Love and hugs friend!
Wow! I can’t even express what your words have done for this self-esteem lacking woman, Mary. This went straight to my heart: “God always believes the best about us and still provides grace and forgiveness when we forget.” Far too often, I think I don’t have enough to offer. Sadly, I think this was instilled in me from daddy issues long ago ;). Our true Father believes in us completely. As you so perfectly stated, saying yes to His gifts honors Him. I need to keep moving forward with that simple instruction. Much love to you, my friend.
It is humbling to know that God gifted each of us uniquely and believes the best about us. We are the ones that take that gift and make it into something we don’t believe in because of the words of others or life circumstances that have hurt us deeply. Let me assure you, you are beautiful and are gifted with a heart that loves well and desires to touch others with your story. I am blessed by you and love having you here sitting with me in this space.
The older I get the more I realize and believe I AM “living my potential.” Good post, as always, Mary.
I love that you have realized your potential. I know I have in certain areas but feel I have been gifted with this extra time in retirement to be used in other ways. In other words, I don’t think I have discovered all I can do yet. It is exciting and humbling. Thank you for loving me well friend!!!
Oh friend… this is so great – and true! Love you, Mary!
Love you too Karrilee! Thank you for stopping by and sending me a little love today.
Mary, I love this post. Your upbeat tone speak life to those who read it. 🙂 I love that God has created each us as individuals, and that He uses our unique giftings to draw others to Himself and so we can minister to each other.
When I began writing, I had a friend say to me, “You’re the only one who can write the stories God gives you.” I’m the only one with my particular life experiences, giftings and outlook. The same is true for each of us, in whichever callings God’s given us.
I loved what you said here:
“God knows we are able to do more than we think we can.
God entrusts us with His gifts as a blessing to be shared with others.”
Great words to take with me into the rest of the week.
You have a wise friend. As a writer there are times that the story I want to share seems to have been shared many time before and who would want to read the same thing??? But our story and our perspective is unique because God created us like no other. So we should happily share away when God gives us the words and know that someone out there needs to hear exactly what we wrote.
I love hearing in the comments from that someone who found words here that resonated with them that day. God has a way of blessing others as well as me when that happens. Praying you believe that you can do more than you think you can and has gifted you uniquely because He loves you dearly.
My answer to your questions would be no, and no. I’m a work in progress and I’m learning to stop wasting time and drifting :). It’s not easy. I’d rather curl up with a good book for days on end…
I can relate to curling up with a good book. It almost feels like a guilty pleasure these days so I don’t do it as often as I should. I think just realizing we all have potential and so much to give should bring us hope. God blessed us each with unique gifts and sharing them with others can bring happiness to them as well as ourselves. Thank you for joining me today!
Hi, Mary. 🙂 Since I was first to linkup today, there’s no one in front of me at Jennifer’s place this afternoon. Sooo, I get to pick who to visit. 🙂 Thank you for this beautiful admonishment to be who we were created to be. So glad that He’s “the key player” in my life, and believes in me more than I could ever believe in myself. Thanks for sharing today. ((grace upon grace))
It is beautiful to know that God believes in us even more than we could ever believe. He has an amazing story written for each of us and would love nothing more than for us to live the story He has created for us. I am so glad you joined me here today.
For years I have rejected other persons’ perspectives, because I didn’t want to believe any good could come out of me, but I am slowly learning we have to open our hearts to believe what God has placed in someone’s heart to tell us. I’m a slow learner, but I’m learning to open my heart to believe that God has entrusted me with unique gifts to use to His glory and the welfare of others. You say it so well – “When we allow God to uncover the layers of who we are, we open ourselves to the beauty of what God created us to be.” Thank you for this beautiful encouragement to live up to the potential God has given us, Mary. Blessings and hugs to you!
It is hard to trust other’s thoughts when we are insecure with ourselves. But God has created us with so much to give and opening ourselves to the possibility honors Him. I am also a slow learner because most of the time when I write, I am preaching to myself. God has so much to teach me and I have so much to learn. You bless me by sharing a piece of your story every time you join me here. Praying you are able to open yourself up to God and all the potential He has already written into your story.
Mary,
I loved that translation from The Message…”When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.” I NEEDED that reminder today. I believe that God often has to lead me to the end of myself, so that I will so who I’m created to be IN HIM! I can only do all things through Him…
Blessings and thanks,
Bev
I love how you share honestly in the comments every time you stop by. It is inspiring to me and confirming that these words are making a difference. Turning over ourselves completely to God is hard and there are days when I would rather hang onto to what I know instead of trusting the unknown. But the more I realize that my potential lies in God and the story He has written for my life, the easier it becomes. Thank you for being so faithful in encouraging and sharing your own journey.
“God is our today, tomorrow and yesterday. He stands by our sides and loves who we are through our trials, joys and weaknesses. He is our Savior!” AMEN. Such an encouraging post, Mary! Blessings to you!
Thank you Gayl! Knowing we have God takes the pressure off of us to always try to be someone other than who He has called us to be. He gifted us with endless potential and has already written it into our stories. We need to wait for our stories to be read and revealed, uncovering the gifts of who we are. Blessings to you and upon your week.
Amen Amen! ☺ my heart hears this, friend. Not by my might nor by my wisdom but by the Lord of Hosts himself would I accomplish what He has predestined me to do
I love this.!
With much love,
Hugs and blessings to you
What a treat to see you here today! God’s plan is always the best and His story for each of us will be revealed in his timing. This brings me hope and excitement. Praying you are doing well, Ifeoma!
Dear Mary … these are words of encouragement for those of us who are spending time in the waiting room. Actually, I’m kind of enjoying the sojourn there and am not particularly in a rush to get to the next destination.
I know He has something for me to do. Meanwhile, I’m content in the being, the living out of what’s on today’s plate … for my striving has ceased.
That’s grace.
I am still in the waiting room so we can hang out together. There are glimmers and God gives me a sense that there is so much more for me. Enjoying your friendship as we hang out but hopeful that our potential has just begun to blossom. With hope for the future and much love!
This post and the one previous have got my wheels spinning. I’m working on setting some boundaries around life – areas that need to be protected so they can flourish – and its going to involve saying some hard “no’s.”
I hadn’t thought of this in terms of realizing my potential – so, Mary, thank you for giving me a positive spin on this.
You’re welcome! I pray the words and God’s whispers in between fill you with understanding and hope as you face some hard “noes”. Always a pleasure when you stop by.