Why Can’t I Live Up to My Potential?
Jack Radcliffe
2/15/2010

From the beginning of our lives, we’re surrounded by voices declaring our uniqueness. When we become mobile and verbal, we are believed to be as intelligent as they come. School proficiency tests, GPAs, and college scholarships confirm what our families and friends have known all along and what graduation speakers announce with certainty: “You are one of the best classes your high school or college has ever had. You are among the best and the brightest.” You are told you have unlimited potential and will do great things. Your success is not only predicted, it’s expected.

But let’s face it: Not all of us can or will do great things, and there’s really only room for a few “at the top.” That begins to make us wonder if we’ve been lied to or if we’ve failed to be all that we can be. But a third consideration is that our potential has nothing to do with taking the world by storm, making our mark, or even being vocationally successful.

All the hope that is put on each generation is based on what they could possibly do. It is safe to say that out of each generation will come life-altering innovations in medicine and technology as well as strong leadership in business, politics, and the church. Brilliant people will do much.

However, these things have nothing to do with our potential. That’s right. Our potential as human beings has little to do with what we do and everything to do with who we are. We’re not loved by God conditionally for what we do. God loves us unconditionally regardless of what we do. It’s about who we are. Yes, some of Jesus’ parables teach us that we are to be faithful and productive with the life we’re given. However, our potential lies in who we can become.

Here’s what Jesus says as recorded by John 15:15: “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me” (NLT).

Here’s the real truth: The potential of every human being is not for accomplishing much, being great, or being successful but rather for becoming friends with Jesus, being made aware of the incredible mysteries of God, and living according to his purpose. The movement from simply knowing about God to knowing God changes our status from having potential to living in it. Each person is designed with the capacity for it. Why is it that some of us live up to it and others don’t? Why is friendship with Jesus so hard to come by? How does capacity turn into reality?

If we asked ten people, we’d get at least ten different answers because each person would have his own reasons. What are yours? Doubt? Guilt? Maybe you’re hung up on something bad that’s happened to you or to someone you know. Opportunities may have escaped you. It’s not too difficult to believe Jesus disciples may have had similar reasons until they did one thing: Spent time with Jesus. They weren’t his friends in the first weeks or months, or maybe not even in the first year. It wasn’t until they had been together for a while that they realized their life’s potential of knowing God. If you haven’t yet done so, take the first step toward living up to your potential: Spend time with God.

Jack Radcliffe is a husband and father of four, Parent Coach, a seminar presenter for Parenteen (www.parenteen.com), a ministry consultant with Youth Ministry Architects in Nashville, TN, and adjunct professor at Martin Methodist College. He has an MDiv from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio and a DMin in Practical Theology, Adolescent Development, and Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary.