|
On Sunday, I invited us to imagine Jesus calling us to follow him, meaning that Jesus believes we can be like him, to be part of what God is doing in the world. And as we hear this, resistance might arise. On some level we may fear that we are not good enough or that the light we are called to shine is just too much for us. Sometimes this fear manifests as boredom and distraction. We get lulled back into unawake life of getting by, just eating, sleeping, getting the task list done and more. But then we miss out on receiving the brilliance that is our birthright and shining the light that the world needs.
Like Peter and Isaiah in our stories from Sunday, when that “not-good-enough” voice arises, we can engage the spiritual practice of not giving into it. Instead, we name this fear to God in prayer and to other trusted people. In this we make room to hear the truth -- that we are not only good enough to be loved and healed and whole, but we are good enough to take such bright beautiful gifts out into the world!
I share again Sunday’s reading from Marianne Williamson's A Return to Love.
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's 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're liberated from our own fear,
Our presence . . . . liberates others.
Love,
Pastor Michael Bush
Listen to or download the messages online: click here.
| 
