Moving in Faith

It’s been a while, but it’s past time.

I’ve been reading and growing, just quietly. But I definitely want to get more active on the blog again, and what better way to start than with a Soulful Sunday?

Last year was migraines. This year? Well, I won’t go into the details–I think it would be embarrassing to people who aren’t me, and this blog isn’t about that. What I’ll say is that I have always found it so interesting how the strength you gain from one trial is definitely intended to carry you through the next one. This past year has been hard, humbling, disheartening–but full of growth and love. I have seen the worst in people and the best in people. I have learned to pray for people who have the worst intentions for me. I have remembered to forgive people who never asked for it. I have seen what true friendship means. And in the midst of going through this, I did a devotional on my Bible app call 41 will come with my brother. It wasn’t what I thought it would be, but it was exactly what it should be.

It reminded us of the significance of the number 40 in the Bible, 40 days of flood, Moses hid for 40 years after committing murder, 40 years the Israelites wondered in the wilderness, and 40 days Goliath bullied Israel. It’s the latter that the author chose to focus on to remind us of our personal responsibility in bringing our 41.

I think people should do the devotional, so I’m going to try not to steal the thunder, but this is what I want to say–I walked away from the 7 day plan with a renewed sense of walking into the purpose has for me, despite those that will try to derail me from that path. One thing I have seen in watching others with great purpose is that the devil will get very busy in trying to derail them. People will discourage you, he’ll let that inner voice of yours tell you that your mistakes are too big, and you could never be the person God is telling you you’re supposed to be. That book you are supposed to write, that business you are supposed to start, that presentation you are supposed to give, that promotion you want, the life you are supposed to touch just by being the best version of you possible–the devil is trying to convince you you’re too small. He’s allowing people to tell you that you are too something: too inexperienced, too old, too mean, too new, too cute, too ugly, too uneducated, too poor–and all of it is a lie.

Understand that if God means it for you, no one can take it from you. If God means it for you, there are people who will never be touched in the way they should be if you don’t live up to the purpose God intends for you. And understand that with God’s power behind you, if you believe, you can not fail if you are walking in your path. One of the verses that touched me most was Romans 8:11:

“But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Y’all–the Holy Spirit dwells in me. That makes me powerful beyond my imagination–I just have to tap into it, I have to believe in it. I have to face whatever adversary is between me and my purpose knowing that the victory was won before the battle began, because I am meant to touch the lives I will touch by living to my greatest potential. I am doing no one any good by shrinking, by letting those voices, those naysayers, those agents of the enemy get in my head. I am a child of the Most High, He has given me the gift of His Spirit, and my purpose is to glorify Him by living to my greatest and fullest potential. I dare not shrink into the shadows. YOU dare not shrink into the shadows. Not because of people, not because of COVID, not because of anything.

It reminds me one of my favorite quotes–and on it I will end.

“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.”

― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles“

I’m not sure about you, but I have to remind myself often–I don’t get to shrink. You don’t get to shrink. We’ve got work to do 🙂