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The Plateau of Latent Potential

Potential Spiritual Growth Discipline (Self)

Source: ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2025-05-23

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1 ; Ephesians 4:22

Author: Illustration Exchange
4

ILLUSTRATION

Author and self-help guru, James Clear, has this to say about building good habits (and the frustrations that can come in the process):

Imagine that you have an ice cube sitting on the table in front of you. The room is cold and you can see your breath. It is currently twenty-five degrees. Ever so slowly, the room begins to heat up. Twenty-six degrees. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. The ice cube is still sitting on the table in front of you. Twenty-nine degrees. Thirty. Thirty-one. Still, nothing has happened. Then, thirty-two degrees. The ice begins to melt. A one-degree shift, seemingly no different from the temperature increases before it, has unlocked a huge change. Breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change. This pattern shows up everywhere. Cancer spends 80 percent of its life undetectable, then takes over the body in months. Bamboo can barely be seen for the first five years as it builds extensive root systems underground before exploding ninety feet into the air within six weeks. Similarly, habits often appear to make no difference until you cross a critical threshold and unlock a new level of performance.

The time between our first efforts to developed a new, healthy habit or spiritual discipline, and the time when we feel we've finally attained a measure of success, can seem interminable. It is in this time of "try and try again" that many of us simply give up. This is what Clear calls The Valley of Dissappointment

You expect to make progress in a linear fashion and it’s frustrating how ineffective changes can seem during the first days, weeks, and even months. It doesn’t feel like you are going anywhere. It’s a hallmark of any compounding process: the most powerful outcomes are delayed. This is one of the core reasons why it is so hard to build habits that last. People make a few small changes, fail to see a tangible result, and decide to stop. You think, “I’ve been running every day for a month, so why can’t I see any change in my body?” Once this kind of thinking takes over, it’s easy to let good habits fall by the wayside. But in order to make a meaningful difference, habits need to persist long enough to break through this plateau—what I call the Plateau of Latent Potential.

The Plateau of Latent Potential ... what a concept! Instead of a mountaintop, you only see a dead, dry plateau. But this is the time to resolve to stay in the struggle! Why?

Complaining about not achieving success despite working hard is like complaining about an ice cube not melting when you heated it from twenty-five to thirty-one degrees. Your work was not wasted; it is just being stored. All the action happens at thirty-two degrees. When you finally break through the Plateau of Latent Potential, people will call it an overnight success. The outside world only sees the most dramatic event rather than all that preceded it. But you know that it’s the work you did long ago —when it seemed that you weren’t making any progress—that makes the jump today possible.

 

APPLICATION

It's been accurately said that spiritual growth is not a sprint, but a marathon. God calls us to "put off" old ways and habits, and "put on" new ones instead (Ephesians 4:22-24). It is a long and arduous process, given to much frustration and dissapointment. But we are called to "not grow weary" in our efforts (Galatians 6:9).  

Spiritual growth, health, and effectiveness are all waiting for us (regardless of how it is expressed through our personal spiritual gifts and abilities). But to attain it, we must not give up hope and endurance atop the Plateua of Potential and risk slipping into the Valley of Dissapointment. 

Stay strong. Growth and spiritual maturity is NOT beyond your grasp. Like Paul, we must resolve to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14,  ESV).

As James Clear concludes, "Change can take years—before it happens all at once."

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us" (Hebrews 12:1, NLT).

The Masterpiece Already Exists

Spiritual Growth Potential Image of God

Source: "How a Rejected Block of Marble Became the World’s Most Famous Statue" by the editors of britannica.com

Link to Source: Click here to view source

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2025-04-28

Scripture: John 15:2 ; 2 Corinthians 3:18

Author: Andy Konigsmark
7

ILLUSTRATION

In the early 16th century, Michelangelo, one of the greatest artists of all time, was presented with a massive block of marble that other sculptors had deemed worthless. This marble, originally quarried in Carrara, was considered of poor quality due to its thinness and imperfections, like holes and veins. It was deemed too flawed, too difficult to work with, and thus was abandoned by two previous sculptors who attempted to use it. 

Yet, Michelangelo saw something different in it. He saw the potential for greatness. 

Despite these challenges, Michelangelo transformed the flawed marble into one of the most celebrated masterpieces in history. His ability to work with the material's limitations and create such a stunning sculpture is a testament to his genius and skill. 

It all stemmed from his general artistic philosophy when approaching a new block of marble:

"The sculpture is already complete within the marble block, before I start my work. It is already there, I just have to chisel away the superfluous material."

It is variously (and perhaps anectodaly) reported that when asked about this particular magnificent statue, Michelangelo famously said, “I saw David in the marble and removed everything that was not David.”

APPLICATION

This story beautifully parallels the message of John 15, where Jesus describes God as the gardener and His followers as the branches of a vine.

Just as Michelangelo removed the unnecessary marble to reveal the masterpiece within, God prunes His followers, cutting away the aspects of our lives that do not bear fruit. This pruning, though perhaps painful at times, is done out of love and with a vision of our potential in Him. It is not the removal of what is merely unwanted, but rather what is unneeded, allowing for growth and the revelation of our true beauty and purpose in Christ. As Scripture affirms in John 15:1-2:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. 

Afterall, we are created in His image. He fully sees the masterpiece which lies within each of us. And, like David, when He peers into our potential and completes His divine pruning, He can likewise proclaim, “I saw [a masterpiece] in the marble and removed everything that was not [in keeping with My image].”

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son ..." (Romans 8:29, NIV).

"And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man" (1 Corinthians 15:49, NIV).

Random Pieces of Life's Puzzle

Perseverance Randomness Spiritual Growth

Contributed By: Herry Herry | Date Posted: 2025-03-26

Scripture: James 1:4 ; Romans 5:4

Author: Herry Herry
1

ILLUSTRATION

A friend of mine once gave me a thousand-piece puzzle. It was a beautiful picture on the box, an ocean sunset with waves crashing against the rocks. Excited, I poured the pieces onto the table and started working. 

At first, it was fun. Fitting the edges and finding the bright colors of the sky. But as the hours passed, frustration crept in. Some pieces didn’t seem to fit anywhere. Others looked like they belonged but were just a little off. After a while, I was tempted to give up. It felt like a mess, and I couldn’t see how it would ever come together.

Days later, I returned to the puzzle, unwilling to just walk away without seeing the beauty of the end product.

Slowly, piece by piece, it started to take shape. What once felt like random, useless pieces were actually critical parts of the most beautiful sections. 

APPLICATION

Life can feel like that unfinished puzzle. There are pieces of pain, confusion, and unanswered questions that don’t seem to fit. But God sees the whole picture when we only see fragments. Even when we don’t understand, we can trust that He is working everything together for our good. The pieces that feel out of place today might be part of a greater masterpiece He is creating in your life.

While it might be tempting to throw your hands up and just walk away, stick with the process. At the other end of patience, perservernace, and endurance comes beauty and joy.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance [endurance]. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

"Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" (Romans 5:3-4, ESV).

 

Remembering Madden

Jesus Christ Spiritual Growth Names

Contributed By: Neal Pollard | Date Posted: 2024-12-03

Scripture: Ephesians 1:21 ; Colossians 1:27

Author: Neal Pollard
3

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Don't Cry Over Spoiled Milk

Mistakes Perspective Spiritual Growth

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2024-06-12

Scripture: Philippians 3:14 ; 2 Corinthians 12:9

Author: Illustration Exchange
2

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Our Deepest Need

Salvation Spiritual Growth Sanctification

Contributed By: Marcelle Smith | Date Posted: 2023-03-04

Scripture: Ephesians 3:18

Author: Marcelle Smith
3

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Are You Being Fed?

Spiritual Health Spiritual Growth Spiritual Life

Contributed By: Bob Kombe | Date Posted: 2022-10-24

Scripture: John 6:35

Author: Bob Kombe
2

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The Obstacle Is The Way

Obstacles Spiritual Growth Perseverance

Contributed By: Illustration Exchange | Date Posted: 2022-07-05

Scripture: James 1:2

Author: Mark Batterson
9

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The Man In The Iron Mask

Affliction Spiritual Growth Perspective

Contributed By: Shane Waldron | Date Posted: 2020-12-15

Scripture: Isaiah 46:10 ; Isaiah 48:3

Author: Shane Waldron
2

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Happy Death Day!

Spiritual Growth Trials Circumstances

Contributed By: Major Dalton | Date Posted: 2017-12-03

Scripture: James 1:2 ; Romans 7:24

Author: Major Dalton
4

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