“so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”
Philippians 2:15
Plants are wonderful to watch. After the seeds are buried in the
ground, gardeners wait with anticipation for the young shoots to
push their way through the soil. Under ideal conditions, most seeds
will germinate in a week or two. Although good care is essential during
those early weeks of growth, the gardener will not see the full
potential of the plants until they begin to bear fruit.
I want to share four keys to encouraging your garden to maturity
as you liberate all the potential that God deposited in you. Here is the
first.
Key #1—You must cultivate your potential.
Experienced gardeners know that weeds often grow faster than
vegetables. If a gardener goes away for several weeks, he will return
to stunted and sickly vegetable plants that yield little or no fruit. Or
even worse, he may find that he has no vegetable plants at all
because the weeds smothered and choked the tender shoots.
Cultivation is necessary for a healthy and productive garden.
The same is true of your potential. You need to cultivate your life
carefully to remove the influences and the stimulants that seek to
stunt your potential or kill it completely. Seek those persons who are
positive and encouraging. Remove yourself from those activities and
situations that might encourage you to return to your former way of
life. Cling to your Source and allow Him to cleanse you of those
things that would deter you from maximizing your potential. Much
emerging potential dies for want of cultivation. The careful and consistent
nurturing of your potential will enable you to meet the full
responsibilities that God planned for your life.
Much emerging
potential
dies for want of
cultivation.
