In the Gospel of Luke (1:46b-55), Luke writes that an overjoyed Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.”
Recently, when I was meeting with two colleagues, the conversation shifted outside my area of expertise. I felt like they were speaking a different language! I went from feeling confident to feeling insignificant. In that small moment, a split-second decision presented itself to me. The decision was between fear and surrender.
In the past, there have been plenty of times when I felt anxious and afraid when I was out of my depth in a meeting. In those situations, it was hard to focus, and I felt tense. The discussion felt awkward. I felt alone.
This time, when self-doubt came over me, I was intentional to surrender. Immediately, I felt at ease. I was able to listen intently and questions flowed easily. It became apparent that we were all learning together. Allowing the mystery of the moment to unfold fostered a relaxed environment. There was wonderful discussion and exchange of ideas. We all felt that we could count on one another.
With God at the helm, I am grounded in a flow of being and I am able to serve-out my purpose. To magnify God in my life takes time (it actually takes a lot of time!). I need to prioritize daily worship. I need time for rest, stillness, and reflection in my daily schedule. When I make space for God to be central, it comes easy to surrender and allow God to continually work in my life. When I magnify God, I am an effective minister of God in the world.