I wanted to share a quote that everyone attributes to Nelson Mandela because he said it during his inauguration, but it is actually from Marianne Williamson. It says,
"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."
I often wonder what would happen if a group of people would begin to rise up and become fully what God created them to be? What would happen if everyday we woke up and said, "Father God, Today in all I do, I want Your glory to be manifest in me. I want to walk in the direction you want me to walk. I want to love the way you want me to love. I want to forgive the way you want me to forgive. I want to be aware of people around me, and extend your love, your mercy, your peace, your joy, and your grace to them. I do not want to shrink back. I want to press forward. Nothing could be better than walking through life with Jesus in plain sight. Father I am yours... and I say today, just like Jesus said, 'not my will be done, but Yours.'"
What difference would that make in your marriage? What difference in your career? What difference would that make with your kids, your extended family, your friends, and your co-workers? How would that impact Coast Community Church? How full of God would you be? Overflowing? Yes... overflowing!
As Christians, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus... I confess that I am not always the best at this... I blow it so often... but I want to be. We really can change the world. We think so small because we forget whose we are. We belong to God. Jesus is inside of us. The Holy Spirit Himself is our guide and His gifts are available to us.
You say, "Can that really happen?" I say, "Yes it can... it starts with us acknowledging, Father God, I am Yours."
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