Realizing Potential

I have good news everyone! Today I was inspired. Today, comes... a new chapter. But before I start, I'd like to apologize to everyone who has worn a track through their homes. I understand the comfort and the damage that too much pacing produces.

I am going to discuss people.  It has occurred to me that people... are much like water. Like water, people's lives flow freely, but however freely, they flow downhill. Water takes the least resistant path; always (don't even get all cliche on me). People are prone to behave the exact same way. People see adversity or dreams (we're going to call this the mountain top) and they consider that possibility... but *generally, people will choose the path in front of them.

Now, interesting thought... Say we want to start chasing that dream, or for whatever reason, we want to stare right back at adversity. Well... how can we accomplish that? Seriously, get out a writing device and voice your opinion. Consider it. Woops! We forgot something in our consideration, didn't we? You can't face adversity or pursue your dreams can you? Nope. Have you guessed why? Ah hah! That's right! Its because we're still water. If we fight the current, we just get bogged down and dragged back into the flow of things.  If we leave the river and go up the hill, gravity (our humanity) pulls us back down the hill, to the river, and the path of least resistance. Well.. what the heck?!

Here's where the determined, open-minded person perseveres and grows positively and the insular, lazy person sprints back to that gushing, comforting liquid paradise in hopes of non-existent false warmth.

In order to successfully get out of the water, one must transform.  Find your feet. Find strength in your legs. Feel the pounding in your heart and the excitement in your soul. Totally unrelatable, I know. Yeah, lets do it, hurrah! Well we have to know how, right? Basically, to transform, you must accept some sort of change in your life. By accept I mean, recognize, adopt, and place unwavering faith into. In the same way that God has the ability to sustain us, he can transform us just as well. Okay, we're getting closer to how, right?  How do we let God transform us? Well, let me ask you this question.

Have you ever felt like there is a ball of plasma or some form of energy hidden deep inside of you that you might be able to barely control? You know... that feeling where you feel like you could tear an entire house apart with the closing of your fist? That feeling that makes you feel like you could climb to the top of the highest tree in mere seconds? You could chase cars on the highway? You could save ALL of the children in Africa? I like to call that ball of "power" potential energy (but I think its more nobly, and awesomely defined as MIGHT!). Potential because it can be realized, and energy because it can manifest in a variety of ways (depending on how you learn to control it). Sometimes it could just be seen as a nervous twitch or the incessant tapping of your foot or finger for no logical reason other than you don't know how else to explain it. Sometimes it could be continued or added effort in schoolwork or a volunteer program. It could manifest in the love you have for your family and the selflessness you give willingly. It could show up as working late or finding a second job. Basically, for each person it there will be unique avenues of manifestation. This is a healthy and valuable description of potential energy. However, it is not the only one.

When this particular potential energy cannot be controlled by the individual, it can manifest as something much more dangerous. It can be destructive. The ability to control this energy (from a "good" perspective) is like growing positively. The inability to control this energy is equivalent to growing negatively. This is where positive energy is recognized as fear and anger and all things destructive. Because the energy isn't specifically physical (despite being able to manifest itself that way) it isn't easily recognized or controlled by just anybody. Some people are able to control it and some aren't. Most people don't even know what it is, they just "deal."  Well, it is my belief that this potential energy is somewhere between the Holy Spirit, wisdom, and God's valuation of our potential and character.

For example, in the bible, Paul was chosen to bring the Word to the gentiles after openly and intentionally persecuting Christ's followers. However, God transformed him. From that time on Paul became one of the greatest examples of early disciples. To get a better idea of how God can transform us, we can see why God chose to transform Paul. Paul was basically evil; the epitome of a sinner, but... he must have been full of potential! Paul had all of this potential energy that he could not control so it manifested in everything evil (or just mean or wrong or what have you). God saw this potential and through trial... softened Paul's heart to can insight into controlling his potential energy.  Paul realized that he could control himself in a good way because God was good and God was Great. The same example can be applied everywhere that God chose anyone for his work! Why was Abraham and Noah chosen? Moses? Was it because God thought future generations would remember their names better? It was because these people were full of potential energy!

Alright, now I know you're super curious to find out more about what exactly potential energy (as we have called it) is. It is my personal belief that this potential energy is wisdom and the ability to relate to wisdom. When Jesus died, the Holy Spirit was gifted to humanity. A source of power and potential whose threshold is limitless and with the right foundation sustaining control over that influence, that potential can be realized by God.

God can transform us. If we learn to control our potential energy we can stand up in the water and tread lightly on the soil beneath us. We can climb the mountain to face adversity and seek our dreams because we've been transformed. Our clothes might be soaking wet (full of others and influences yet to be transformed) but we can overcome their weight with the power of potential energy and transformation.

To get there: recognize your potential energy, how it manifests, your control over it, etc. Gain control over your potential energy by applying it to good things and positive growth (because God is good so we strive to be).  Grow in your energy and God will work through you. Be sure never to forget that God's plan is bigger than we are. God's work through you might not always manifest itself as you might hope. Know that bad things happen to glorify his name and his work. Do not be afraid.  Control your energy by pursuing the glory of God.

Come, sheep. Let's climb this mountain together.