Today I was watching “Akeelah and the Bee” (first, don’t judge – it’s a great movie. second – I’m not supposed to be doing anything since I got my wisdom teeth out Friday and didn’t take it easy enough the rest of the weekend). Anyway, back to the movie – I was watching this movie and was reminded of this fantastic quote from Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
(okay, so I added a bit of emphasis there – deal with it)
Did you get that? She hits the nail on the head – most of us are not afraid of being inadequate, we’re afraid that we are more powerful than we could imagine. We’re more scared of the light that we might put forth than the darkness we would penetrate with it. We’re scared that we might actually be brilliant instead of stupid, gorgeous not ugly, talented rather than inept, or fabulous as opposed to inferior.
And why shouldn’t we be?
We’re God’s children. His precious children. He loves us and calls us to what He has laid out for us. He wants His best for us. He has more in store for us than we could ever ask for or imagine. And He chose us so that we can show the world who He is.
(I hope you can hear the excitement in my voice, here. Seriously, people – this is big stuff!)
I’ll admit that I’m afraid of myself, afraid of what God might want to do through me…but I’m not going to let that stop me anymore. I’m asking God to show His power through me, to show me just how brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous He made me, and I’m asking Him to work in my heart to make me unafraid so that He has the freedom to do whatever He wants in my heart.
So won’t you join me? Won’t you get excited about life, about the power that God wants to exert through you, about letting your light shine in order to not only illuminate the darkness but penetrate it and ultimately get rid of it. Won’t you manifest the glory of God?
