(08.09.21– Potential! ––Romans 6: 11)
My friend, may I ask you a question? Is there a difference between achieving a goal and proving the goal truly belongs to us? Is that where the work really begins?
My friend, Life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.
I'm M. Clifford Brunner.
I remember my 10th grade History teacher, Mr. Keitel, making the comment that "even though the explorer Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean, the true heroes of the discovery were the future sailors who discovered just how big it was." I've never forgotten that statement. Thank you Mr. Keitel. His message taught me one of the most important lessons in life: getting there is one thing; doing something when you get there is even better. Our potential isn't fully measured by reaching our goals, although that's important. The real measure of our potential is arriving at the goal, taking at look at the horizon of possibilities and striking out to make the goal grow into something that benefits others. That takes commitment, effort and sacrifice. But our potential depends upon our ability to endure not just achieve.
There's a difference between achieving a goal and proving the goal truly belongs to us. That's where the work begins.
Here's a story: When Henry Ward Beecher was a young boy in school he learned a lesson in self, confidence that he never forgot. He was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, "No!" He started over and again the teacher thundered, "No!" Humiliated, Henry sat down. The next boy rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, "No!" This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teacher responded, "Very good!" Henry was irritated. "I recited just as he did," he com- plained to the teacher. But the instructor replied, "It is not enough to know your lesson, you must be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If all the world says, 'No!' it is your business to say, 'Yes!' and prove it." (Steve Goodier)
The world says, "No!" in a thousand ways: "No! You can't do that." "No! You are wrong." "No! You are too old." "No! You are too young." "No! You are too weak." "No! It will never work." "No! You don't have the education." "No! You don't have the background." "No! You don't have the money." "No! It can't be done." And each "No!" you hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit until you quit altogether. Though the world says, "No!" to you today, will you determine to say, "Yes!" and prove it? The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans to "count ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ" (Romans 6:11). Think about the potential! Alive in Christ is so full of potential. It means we can both reach our goal of being like Him and, while we're there, doing something with the power He gives us to achieve. It's our opportunity to transform our dreams of succeeding into lives of achieving. That's real work; that's reaching our potential.
We pray. Heavenly Father, though the world says, "No!" to me today, help me to determine to say, "Yes!" and prove it. You tell us to "count ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ" (Romans 6:11). When we think about the potential of that verse! Alive in Christ is so full of potential. It means we can both reach our goal of being like Him and, while we're there, doing something with the power He gives us to achieve it. It's our opportunity to transform our dreams of succeeding into lives of achieving. Forgive us when we do not take the effort to make that happen. It’s real work for sure; but that's reaching our potential. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.
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<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.