Discovering Potential

Philippians 1:9-10 This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ.

Responsibilities, pressures, demands, they all seem to crowd in on us. Work, the children, the household … I’ve got to do this, I’ve got to do that. Enough! I’m sure you’ve felt that incessant drumbeat of obligation too.

The other week, the pastor at our church was talking about this very thing and he said something that really hit me in the face; that led me to the realisation that, to a great extent, it’s our own attitude that drives much of this pressure.

Here’s the point he made: “I get to,” is greater than “I’ve got to”.

I get to pray for my friends, not … I’ve got to pray for my friends. I get to be generous toward those I work with, not …I’ve got to be generous toward them. I get to check in on my friend who’s doing it tough, not … I’ve got to check in on my friend who’s doing it tough.

There’s way more joy, more freedom, more potential in “I get to” than “I’ve got to”. Perhaps that’s what was going on for the Apostle Paul, praying this amazing prayer for his friends from his dungeon on death row:

Philippians 1:9-10 This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love; that you will see the difference between what is important and what is not and choose what is important; that you will be pure and blameless for the coming of Christ.

“I’ve got to” creates burdens. “I get to” opens up potential.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.