There is more in you than you think, untapped potential that God wants to bring out of you.

You see, God created you to be in a relationship with Him, first and foremost. Yes, the God of the Universe wants to be in a vibrant, flourishing relationship with YOU and me. And out of this very personal journey of walking and communing with God, He eagerly desires to reveal His unique plan and purpose for your life – the life you were destined and created for and one that no one else can fulfill. Deep on the inside, there is a longing, a nudge, a holy discontentment that we were created for more – more than you are currently experiencing. God is whispering to you, “Get out of the boat. Take a risk. I’ve put more in you than you think!”

I know this to be true from personal experience. It all started back in 2007. I had a great job working for a reputable landscape architecture firm. Life was good. Except…I had this nagging feeling deep down on the inside that I was meant for more. It was a restlessness, something that wouldn’t go away. And it lasted for an entire year. During this time, I would often think to myself, I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I know I am meant for more than this. Then suddenly, the economy took a nosedive in 2008. I eventually lost my job and I couldn’t find work coast to coast in my specialized field. It forced me to start looking elsewhere. The situation went from bad to worse. I ended up losing everything, literally everything! My house…my car…most of my belongings…all gone! With little options left, I move back home to my dad and step-mom’s basement for the first time in 11 years after living on my own to recover financially. It was a serious blow.

I remember crying out to God with all my might, “God, what are you doing? This doesn’t make sense, nor does it seem fair or right…HELP!!” A short time later, a verse jumped off the pages of Scripture, “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (Job 23:8-10 NIV). A supernatural peace came over me. I knew God was asking me to trust Him. He was at work behind the scenes, just like He was with Job. Job lost everything, but God was with him and for him! And eventually God worked the trial out for his good.

At my ultimate low point, God spoke to me, “Cory, I want you to set captives free.” What? I thought to myself. How can I possibly do that? I have nothing to offer God! Again, I could sense God inviting me to trust Him that He knew best and that He was actually repositioning me to succeed with more of His plan for my life. I couldn’t put a finger on it, but I knew He was up to something.

The Bible says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9. NLT).

My brain was desperately trying to figure out what God was up to, to no avail. God was gently asking me to trust Him by faith when my present circumstances seemed out of control and beyond my comprehension. I finally gave up trying to make sense of it all and laid everything at God’s feet and said, “Lord, I trust you. Guide my steps.”
Later that week, I was talking with a friend of mine regarding what I felt like God was asking me to do. She responded by saying, “You have a really interesting story. Have you ever considered writing a blog?” I told her, “Nope. I’ve never thought about writing a blog; it’s never crossed my mind!” Yet that day something interesting happened. A seed was planted in my heart. In fact, God reminded me that 20 years earlier I had won a writing award in 5th grade. That untapped potential or gift God had put inside of me had remained dormant for two decades. But all of that was about to change.

I took my friends advice and started a free blog on the internet and posted three articles I had written. Within a short amount of time, I gained a following. And two months later, a large Christian newspaper company contacted me and said, “We found your blog on social media and love how you write. We think the message you are sharing needs to be told. What would you think about coming to write for us?” I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t have a college degree in writing and no formal training. Nor had I ever written for pleasure up until then. But God! He knew what He had put in me. And He knew how to get it out of me too. I became a contributing writer for this Christian newspaper company and it was amazing. Many people would write me saying how much my articles had touched them and spoke directly to the situation they were facing. It was confirmation that I was on the right track. Then, out of the blue, I came across the work of Destiny Rescue. I was so moved by their mission to rescue children out of sexual slavery, I knew I had to do something to help. Long story short, I was asked to become Destiny Rescue’s Senior Writer and eventually said yes. My heart was set ablaze to be a voice for the voiceless and inspire God’s people to join the fight to defend kids.

God knows what He is doing. He can use anything to shift the direction of our lives to maximize our potential and help us step directly into His perfect plan. He took ordinary fishermen and made them into fishers of men and He took an ordinary shepherd boy tending his father’s sheep and made him into a King that led God’s people. He saw the hidden potential He put in them when others didn’t. And He knew exactly what to do to get it out of them.
The same is true for you and me. God has put incredible gifts and talents on the inside of us waiting to be discovered. Could it be time to write a book, start a business, step out and begin speaking the truths He has ordained for you to share? Or maybe God’s put in you the cure for cancer or some other health discovery that will help all mankind. The only thing that’s needed is a little nudge in the right direction. There is more in you than you think. God is closing some doors and moving the right people, the right jobs, the right breaks your way for you to step further into your divine destiny than ever before. So, don’t get discouraged because there seems to be uncertainty all around. You have the God of the Universe on your side and He is in complete control, orchestrating your steps for great good. What looks like a setback is actually a setup for you to unlock the fullness of your God-given potential. There is more in you than you think!