This morning, on Fat Tuesday, I started thinking about what "growth opportunities" I might pursue during Lent. On my drive to work, I heard Chris Tomlin's "The Way I Was Made" which got some interesting ideas flowing. (perhaps you heard the clanking, followed by the smell of smoke!) What holds us back, limits us, keeps us from being the way we were made? I think its simply fear.
Each of us has a small voice inside of us. One that points us in the right direction. Call it conscience, intuition, the holy spirit, instinct or just a gut feeling - regardless, its there. Its the one that whispers: "I love singing and dancing"; "hey, I don't feel right about this"; " now that was a good thing"; "It won't be easy, but you really need to..."; "good enough, probably isn't"
This voice, the one Casting Crowns called the voice of truth (see SOTW #1), makes the most sense and is almost always right. Yet we often ignore it. Why? Again, I think its fear. The fear of losing out or of making others uncomfortable or of not "fitting in"; of being judged or of making a mistake.So this Lent, I'm going to listen to my instincts, especially when doing so might make me uncomfortable. The best way for me to become "the man that I was meant to be" is to overcome my fears and embrace my power. I'm going to let my light shine. (Matthew 5:15-16) I encourage you to do the same - after all, who wouldn't want to be the way we were made - loving, spirit-filled, happy, generous and free?
