Potential

A while back, I had the privilege of consulting with a vibrant, growing church in Houston, TX. It was exciting to be with a leadership team that both wants to grow , and is also willing to do whatever it takes to bring about positive change in their ministry environment.

The phrase they used, over and over again, was “be brutally honest.” They wanted to know , with no holds barred, what it would take for them to achieve a new level of excellence in their pursuit of being all that God has called them to be. Their attitude was incredibly refreshing: Instead of resisting change, and being defensive about the things they were doing, they embraced the idea of thinking differently about a number of issues, and were enthusiastic about the plans we discussed to change their focus in a number of areas.

On the way home, I thought about the incredible potential that church has, and how the staff’s willingness to embrace change made all the difference in the world, as it relates to the growth that’s sure to come their way in the weeks and months ahead. And I also wondered about this: What would it look like in your life, if you were to invite someone to be “brutally honest” with you about the things that need to change, in order for you to live up to your full, God-given potential? What would a personal consultant — a life coach — see in you, that stands in the way between where you are currently and where you could be … if only you had the courage to embrace an honest assessment of your life?

All too often, we’d rather stay stuck, doing things the way we’ve always done them, instead of striking out into the uncharted territory of true life change. And as a result, we remain mired in mediocrity , unwilling to face ourselves with honesty . Frankly, it’s just easier to stay where we are, surrounded by the blind spots that have gotten us here in the first place.

The truth is, on our own, we can’t always see the pathway that will lead us from where we are to where we want and need to be. That’s the value of having someone else, someone you trust, someone who is a bit further down the pathway themselves, who can speak into your life with honesty as they help you move in the right direction.

It takes courage. It takes a willingness to embrace the hard work of change. And it takes a desire on your part for that person to be “brutally honest.” But if you want to reach your full potential, and be all that you’ve been created and gifted to be, there’s no better way to get there.