Maximizing Your Potential

force in our lives. King David, after his sin with Bathsheba, most certainly was haunted by his wrong (see 2 Samuel 11:1—12:25). Overwhelmed by the enormity of his sin, he could have forfeited his potential to serve God as the king of God’s people. Instead, David confessed his sin (see 2 Samuel 12:13 and Psalm 51) and petitioned God: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me... .Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:10,12). Today David is remembered as a man after God’s heart and the greatest king in the history of God’s people. This same restorative power of God can move you beyond the negative opinions, poor judgments, unhealthy relationships, detrimental environments, and adverse circumstances of your past. No sin is too great for God to forgive. No relationship is beyond His restoration. His healing touch can reach into your worst experiences and show you something you can learn from them. His transforming power can redirect your misguided and harmful actions and enable you to remove yourself from the destructive environments and crippling circumstances that threaten your potential. No memory is too deep for Him to heal. No problem is beyond His blessing and power. No sin is too great for God to forgive. The key to moving beyond all that haunts you from your past is allowing those memories to empower you instead of destroying you. If you were addicted to drugs and you know firsthand the destructive forces they unleash, use your experiences to help those who are at risk today of experiencing the same pain you’ve survived. Make friends with a teenager whose father has walked out on his family. Support a local teen’s club. Speak in your child’s school about the dangers and the deceptions of doing drugs. If you have a history of getting into fights, learn what sets you off and how you can respond more appropriately to the anger-provoking situations in your life. Find supportive people who can encourage you and help you through tough times. Look for the insecurity in yourself and others that destroys self-esteem and incites verbal and physical exchanges. If you quit high school because you were pregnant, go back to school and get your diploma. If you did time in prison, befriend a newly released prisoner. If the pressures of being a young single mother caused you to abuse your child, offer to No relationship is beyond His restoration. No memory is too deep for Him to heal. No problem is beyond His blessing and power.