PRAY: Prayer for Those Who Need to Reach Their Potential
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| Photograph © 2012 Andrew Pieper |
We’ve all heard it at one time or another: “Do your best.” “Try your hardest.”
Some of us have seen it on our report cards. “Does not work up to full potential.” “Can do better than this.” “Should try harder.”
Reach your potential. We mention it often, but how do we achieve our potential? As a friend commented on my Facebook page this morning, “How do you do that? I’m still trying to figure it out.”
I don’t have an easy answer or wise explanation. Instead, I offer this prayer for myself and all those—all of us—who need to reach our potential:
Father, I thank You that You created our potential. In truth, You’re the only One who knows how much we can achieve or who we can become. You know the plans You have for us, plans for good and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope.
Our potential, like our lives, is pointed toward You. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we exist to give You glory. And we can’t achieve that potential without knowing You. So for those who don’t know You, God, I pray You would draw them near. Bring them in. Let them come to know You as all-in-all so they may find their all in You.
And for those who do know You, God, I ask You to allow us to know You more. As we know You more, we learn more about Your ways and Your desires. As we learn more about You, we love You more. We love our neighbor more. And our lives will line up with Your deep desires for our lives.
God, You will never push us away or hold us back. You discipline us only for the purpose of restoration. You may move us to the wilderness for a season, but You always bring us out in love. You bless us that we might declare Your glory. You burden us that we might drive harder into You.
For those who don’t see their potential, whose eyes the enemy has blinded, I ask You to grant wisdom and vision. Let them throw off the old and burst forth into the new. Let their lives push past the pain and pour into the promise. And let them—let each of us—see You as we press toward our true potential, the mark of our high and holy calling in Christ Jesus, in whose glorious name I pray—AMEN.
Are you concerned about reaching your potential? Do you have a child or grandchild who is missing the mark in one or more ways? Feel free to share your prayer request in a comment below, or email me to share in a more personal way.
Thank you for this beautiful prayer, I’m reading it a few times today.
Susie
Aww, you’re welcome! I’m honored to share.