Shine bright

I recently finished a book, The Big Leap, in which the author talks about the "upper limit problem" that keeps people from walking in the complete joy, love, and fullness that is always accessible to us when we're operating in our full potential, which he terms the "zone of genius.”  This zone -- an expression of your unique gifts and talents -- is everyone's birthright.  But because of our upper limit problem, we often subconsciously self-sabotage ourselves when things are going well by allowing fear, worry, blame, insecurity and other negative thought patterns and narratives to block us from receiving what is ours.  We believe that we cannot possibly be entitled to this much joy, so we find ways to limit ourselves.

As I have been thinking about how our stories and internal narratives keep us out of Eden, this book made me contemplate how difficult it is for many of us to accept our greatness.  We think that to be humble and righteous we must deny our gifts and power.  But the truth of the matter is that all your talents and strengths are given to you by God to glorify Him.  God does not create junk.  He says that we are His masterpieces.  If you are a child of God, a reflection of Him, made in His image, light of the world - then your purpose is to shine brightly.  It is not arrogant or unrighteous to accept the truth of what we are created to be.  It is unrighteous to act is if you have nothing to offer the world, no gifts to bring, no potential.  When you do that, you deny God's power and His purpose for you.  Which means that you believe the insane thought that you came into being on your own accord - that is arrogance. 

But you, dear friend, are all together lovely and irreplaceable to God.  You are divine thought brought into being.  Your value has been established by God and it needs no defense.  This is our truth.  So why are you defending an image of yourself that is not real?  Why are you fighting God about who you really are? 

In A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson beautifully writes: “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, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  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.”

You see, when you allow your own light to shine, you light a path for others.  This is why we are here -- to support each other in remembering who we are and revealing the love that God has for us. 

Dear Lord I pray that we will stand in the truth, Your truth of who we are.  That we will not be afraid to shine brightly, that we let our light continuously light a path to You.  Amen.