Potential to Fulfill Your Purpose by Pastor Jerry Bowling
At the age of 9 or 10 my father took the family to Cincinnati, Ohio to see our first Major League Baseball game. At that time the "RED'S" first baseman was a young man by the name of Ted Kluszewski. During one year of his career he led the National League in home runs (49) and runs batted in (141).
After seeing the Big Klu, I decided when I grew up, that I wanted to play first base for the Cincinnati Reds. After all I was a good hitter and first baseman for our 9-11 year old team. I begin to daydream about what the experience would be like. I would cross the creek in front of our house, climb up the mountain, and find a nice level spot to lie down. The warm sun would shine upon my face as I could hear the Cincinnati public address announcer saying, "Now replacing Ted Kluszewski at first base is Jerry Bowling."
As time passed I dreamed different dreams…and never did much in sports other than to play a little high school basketball and church league softball. I do currently play a little racquetball... even in my old age!
I have faced the reality that I did not have the potential to play any sport at a serious competitive level. However, that does not mean I should not believe in my own God given potential. God has indeed given potential and purpose to each of us. True potential is discovering your highest purpose according to God’s plan.
There is so much more in us, and more to us, than other people will see on the surface. There is another self, another potential and another purpose that is motivated by God’s call upon us. That call keeps pleading and urging us to be all that we can be in Christ.
Several years ago I attended a conference and listened intently as one of the speakers shared about “The On-Purpose Person”. That conference was meaningful to me and three take away thoughts have stayed with me.Purpose is energy. It is a highly motivating force. Discover your purpose... be on purpose and you will have a life filled with meaning and significance. Being on purpose requires discipline and sustained effort.
It is your 100 % responsibility to discover your purpose and make the changes to fulfill that purpose.
Someone has said, “The world will measure you by success…but God will measure you by faithfulness!” God has given us potential, purpose, responsibility and the authority to be successful in His call upon each of us.
In times of discouragement when we just want to throw our hands up and quit, hold on to the truth that our genuine potential has been planted in us by our loving God…may we use that potential for His purpose.
Remember:
"GOD'S NEVER BEEN GUILTY OF SPONSORING A FLOP."-Ethel Waters