Good to Great

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm.”—Jeremiah 29:11

We only go through life once, and we want to make the most of it, the very best of it. The key is recognizing your gifts from God— your attributes, your personality type, your lofty desires. Name them and claim them every day. We are all created not just to be good but to be great! We were created by our great God and destined to be great. Don’t settle for being a good parent; strive to be a great parent. Don’t strive to be a good neighbor; become a great neighbor. Don’t just be a good employee, be the best you can be by being great at the work you do. Don’t be a good Christian or Jew or Muslim; be a great person who lives your faith each day. What is your next step to becoming a great person? Think in terms of greatness, not just success. Memorize this small prayer, write it on your bathroom mirror, and repeat it often; it’s powerful. It goes like this: “Help me, Lord, to grow from good to great!” Don’t sell yourself short. God will help you develop into the truly great human being you are meant to be.

Lord, strengthen my belief in the strength of your love for me, moving me from good to great! Amen.

—from the book Three Minutes with God: Reflections and Prayers to Encourage, Inspire, and Motivate
by Monsignor Frank Bognanno