Why do we sometimes want more for somebody else than they want for themselves? Where does this come from? In other words, have you ever heard yourself saying to someone, “I can see your potential, but how come you cannot?”

We may wonder what’s missing. What will it take? And we may wonder why is it we are more disappointed at their losses or lack of motivation than they are. Real talk.

Eventually, questions may surface that ask, “Why are you ok with average?” and “What really motivates you?” There’s nothing more disheartening than to see someone with so much ability, so much influence, and many resources, … be unresponsive. Or maybe you’ve looked in the mirror and found this to be yourself while others have been trying to convince you of your greatness. 

Lazy man with the remote on the couch[/caption]

Let’s start at the beginning…

Genesis 1:31 NIV-  God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. 

This means that from the very beginning, he saw you, his creation, as “very good”. And greatest of all, you weren’t assigned a specific range of years, at a very specific time on this planet, for no reason. But rather, you are here, for a fullness of reasons. You weren’t meant for random, passive, idleness. You were meant to discover, create, and exist in the expression that is YOU while allowing God’s light to shine through.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Readiness at Different Rates  

The reality is we all have different degrees of readiness. Some of us have even been more privy to recognizing opportunity because it hasn’t presented itself as often in the past, or we simply recall what it felt like to miss out on it and won’t let it happen again. If you have abilities and are still trying to recognize them, you may not have fully uncovered all the reasons you’re here. Many don’t understand why they are here and what they’re supposed to do with what God has placed inside of them. And that’s ok, because this becomes revealed for each of us at different times. The reasons why one may be full of purpose and potential but unresponsive is because-

1. 1. God hasn’t uncovered it yet because there are other assignments or areas of you he’s working on first.
   2. You haven’t cared enough to seek it out by giving your gift enough time to develop because of other priorities or demands in life.
   3. God is waiting for you to come to him first before he reveals what to do with the next steps ahead in your gift.
   4. You took your abilities for granted, not seeing them for the greatness they are, while letting opportunity after opportunity pass you by.
   5. You see your value but are just very undisciplined on what to do with them and how to navigate them, and you need to get help.
   6. You’re unresponsive because you’re just plain scared of what following your purpose through Christ looks like and what might happen when you do.
   7. You’ve been told one too many times that you’re not good enough, you can’t accomplish it, and it’s a waste of time. Therefore, you were torn down instead of encouraged, lifted up, or edified in your greatness. 

The Entrepreneurs Plan

God wants to help us find our way to an understanding of what life here on earth looks like with him and in the productiveness of our abilities, gifts skills, and talents. What he doesn’t want is for us to be misled, deceived, or distracted away from his original plan for man and his original plan for you specifically. His love for you is way too deep.

Colossians 2:8 ESV- See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Imagine if you were responsible for coming up with an authentic master plan for which you created the design and blueprint for. You patented and owned the rights to your creation while imparting and investing in the very best resources and a plan that would be most impactful for humanity.

However, when your operation launched and was set in motion, it failed to operate at its full capacity to where it stalled, ceased to function, and was faulty and glitchy. On top of that, when it was faulty, everybody and everything else delayed its intended purpose by using alternative ways to troubleshoot its issues, leaving it to perform the opposite of what it was installed to do. The problem was, that it could never run like it was fully intended to without the original owner’s manual. Its blueprint is like a treasure map waiting for us to seek it out and follow its narrow trail in order to discover the ultimate eternal treasure. The treasure is not where “X” marks the spot, but where the cross marks our redemption through the blood of Jesus and our belief in him. 

Remember Where you Came From

I believe the problem with many of us is we are not going back to the owner’s manual to discover who we are and how we were intended to operate. We’re allowing too many societal mechanics to influence, manipulate, and alternate who we are and what you we’re meant to be in Christ. 

Having an understanding of who we are meant to be and what we we’re meant to do, can have a major impact in having the power to motivate us. I believe this can help us to see our potential by removing the blinders and activating the internal drive because now it clicks, and now it all makes sense. It no longer becomes “I might do something greater than myself in life if I get around to it”. But it now becomes, “I was given a divine assignment that I must fulfill while I’m here because God has purposed me to!” 

1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV- As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.