Shedding Our Deepest Fear

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

Maybe you've seen this quote before. I saw it for the first time today. It struck a chord with me.

False humility is often a problem with Christians. We tend to mistake confidence (especially in ourselves) for bragging or showing off. Why should we be ashamed of our God-given gifts and talents? God gave us those gifts and talents for a reason - and it wasn't so we could keep them to ourselves or be embarrassed of them. We should be using our gifts - whatever they may be - to glorify God and to serve others.

We often encourage those around us to go after their dreams; it's usually far easier to recognize others' gifts and to help encourage their use. But what kind of example are we setting if we continually keep our own gifts and talents under wraps? Talk about a "Do as I say, not as I do" scenario.

Don't be afraid or ashamed of the gifts and talents that God has given you. By using them and letting them shine, we are actually helping those around us more than our words alone could ever do.