UR POTENTIAL 16 MAR 2013

Your mind is absolutely incredible. Yes you jugghead! When I was teaching high school subjects, my students were (in general) those who had given up on education. Many considered themselves stupid. I enjoyed turning them around. One of the things I would point out to them is this: when any of them is in the outfield & sees a softball hit their direction, their mind begins doing calculus of the highest order on a subconscious level to accurately predict what the ball will do. The brain then coordinates hundreds of muscles in complex maneuvers with split second precision to run and catch that ball. When scientists using the most complicated math & high technology try to design a robot they have problems getting it to walk in jerky motions. You really see how wonderful & intelligent the common person is when you are put against a robot…and in many ways your brain is still superior to a computer. Next thought: When various men have had spikes accidently enter their brain, there are over half a dozen documented cases of these men not only surviving but becoming math savants— strangely the spikes hit the governor in their brain that keeps our natural genius in math in check. These men became geniuses in all kinds of higher math instantly!!! They could go to shows where complex calculus problems were placed on the board and they would instantly know the answer without ever studying calculus or speed math.

I believe God intentionally placed a governor on our intelligence to curtail it, because He knew we were not morally capable of handling the natural intelligence we have. So our subconscious still uses it, but we are not aware of it. That natural genius is still there.

Wrong attitudes about ourselves diminish our chances to reach our potential. The Word advises us not to compare ourselves to others. Around 95% of college students are not satisfied with their basic appearance. Having discontent & a lack of acceptance with basic features affects all of our relationships in a negative way. This is why the Word says its unwise to compare ourselves with others (2 COR 10:12), that we should rather seek approval from our Creator (JN 5:44, & 2 COR 10:17,18). The price one pays for rejecting oneself is an inability to trust God (who was responsible for our basic design), difficulty loving others (because we have difficulty loving ourselves), floating bitterness about life (bitterness quietly spreads in our life) and wrong priorities…just to name a few of the negative side effects. In other words, when we are angry with our Designer about how we were made, we have problems loving Him & our self, and by extension others. The bottom line (according to Christ) was to love our God with all our heart, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. So it becomes very important for us to accept how God created us, and to not be ungrateful towards Him. When we realize the negative impact self-rejection brings to so much of one’s life, if we want to reach our potential—in so many ways—we simply must accept what God has done, in fact, if you haven’t thanked Him for how He made you—do so!

I am not saying that we must deny the way we look, etc. but our happiness is not dependent upon our outward beauty, but our ability to experience the character of Christ. If we develop inward qualities, even if we do not look like a Hollywood actor or actress, then we can find fulfillment in our potential. If we don’t give up on ourselves, but realize we have far more potential than is apparent, we often surprise ourselves. Give yourself back to Him for Him to complete the beautiful work He started in you.