Release your full potential this year
One Friday afternoon, a schoolteacher was driving home from work when she saw a Little League baseball game being played at the park at the end of her street. It was a lovely day and the first game of the new sports season. So when the teacher got home, she decided to walk over to the field to watch the game. After she sat on the bleachers, she turned and asked one of the players, “What is the score?”
Sitting on the bench with some of his teammates and wearing his new, white and blue uniform, the boy replied nonchalantly, “We are behind ten to nothing.” The other team was up to bat, so the teacher commented, “I’m glad the score is not making you discouraged.”
Smiling broadly, the Little Leaguer sporting a baseball cap replied, “It is only the first inning. We haven’t even had our turn to come up to bat.” Then, he chuckled and said, “The game is not over yet!”
Is there something that happened that has caused you to want to give up on your heart’s aspirations? Have times gotten tough… so you’ve pushed your dreams to the side and walked away?
Maybe, you’re frustrated, as you could have suffered from a number of setbacks. Apprehensive, you might find yourself afraid to go forward. Or, possibly, you’re filled with despair, because things haven’t gone the way you wanted them to go. Now, you’re thinking about giving up totally on any hope or plans for the future.
However, don’t close the door on your dreams or walk away too soon. As the little Leaguer said, “The game is not over yet!”
What if I gave you a birthday gift, and you tucked it in the dresser drawer and never opened it. What good would it bring you? Sometimes, that’s what we do with our God-given talents, abilities and possibilities for this new day. We may experience a disappointment. Then we could get discouraged and tuck away our dreams. And, perhaps, allow our own misbeliefs to cause us to quit.
But it’s not too late. You can achieve your goals. So believe again. Hope again. Make plans again. Do not underestimate yourself. When you underestimate yourself and your own capabilities, you end up achieving less. Therefore, believe and follow your heartfelt dreams and commitments through to completion. With thankfulness pray, “God, give me the grace to continue on.” If you keep persevering and not get distracted or veer off the course that God has for you, you’re going to have the victory!
Do you remember the Biblical story about David and Goliath? Everyone was afraid of Goliath, because he seemed unconquerable and invincible. When other people ran away in fear, young David didn’t concede. Instead, David took the needed action, in faith, regardless of limitations, uncertainties or discouraging conditions.
As David and Goliath confronted each other, you have huge Goliath with his armor and shield and a small shepard boy, David, with only a sling shot and a pouch of stones. But, David was not distracted, as he kept his focus on God. He was confident and strongly believed God would give him the grace and the strength to defeat the giant.
David then drew near the Philistine and said to him, “You come to me with sword, with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord…” (1 Samuel 17:45).
The narrative resumes, as Goliath moved in to destroy David. But David quickly ran out to meet him. Then, David reached into his bag and slung one of his stones at Goliath’s head. That small stone found its way through a hole in Goliath’s armor, hitting his forehead, and the giant fell to the ground.
So let’s not retreat and run away from challenges. Move confidently ahead as “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.” (Romans 8:37)