Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.
Anais Nin
Ion know about you, but sometimes, I wanna expand without taking up space. Which is kinda silly because the word alone by definition, requires us to take up more space!
Humility is not about playing small, it’s about taking up an adequate amount of space. Humility, per my homie Merriam Webster, is “freedom from pride or arrogance”. It’s not about playing too big, it’s about playing just right, just so. It’s about not even playing, but being! Culture would have us believe that humility is playing small and really, we ought to ask “What’s the benefit of playing small? Who and how does it serve?” I promise playing small only serves others. Crouched in a corner, contorted to fit into a small isn’t being humble, it’s being hurt.
Courage is funny. We want to be courageous but in the light of truth, I triple dog dare us to ask: how often are we courageous and conversely, how often are we cowards? How often do we play small? How often do we hide in the shadows instead of shining in the light? I share about how hiding in the shadows and playing small led me to a physically large body (pictures included of me carrying an “extra” 100 lbs, and I’m not talking about dumb bells!) in Exploring the Depths: How Our Inner World Shapes Our Reality.
So within, so without.
Unknown
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that that’s true. An apple tree will bear only apples. An orange tree will bear only oranges and never tomatoes or diamonds.
We can tell how someone speaks to themselves by how they speak to others. Is it loving? Kind?
We can tell how someone loves themselves by how they love others. Are they patient, kind, trusting, hopeful?
We can tell someone’s heart by how they speak. And if you don’t believe me, just take it from this:
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
Luke 6:45 NIV
God made us to be courageous. Commands us, in fact! Just the other day on my drive home from a tough day at work I meditated on this verse for a while.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 NKJV
Yea.
Yea, though.
Yea, though I walk.
Yea, though I walk through the valley.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
I recited it in full. And then started with one word, each time adding the next words, pausing to reflect on it’s meaning:
Yea.
Yea, though. However, nevertheless, a change is coming!
Yea, though I walk. Walking is work. Effort is required.
Yea, though I walk through the valley. Even in a low, I can still walk! I can still move!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow. Shadows exist only when light is present.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. So much foreboding!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear. Feelings are God given. They’re a road map to our internal world. And despite what we think, we have power and authority over them.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Even when evil is present, fear is a choice!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. God really is ever-present! Wherever I go, he goes– and was! and will be!– too!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff. And he brings his tools, too?!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. God’s rod and staff are his care and leadership—protection, discipline, guidance, and support– offer me reassurance and comfort.
All of these verses reveal the same Truths:
I am courageous when I choose to not fear because wherever I go, God goes with me, too. Fear really is faith inverted. (More on that from me in Transform Fear into Faith: Small Steps to a New You.) Actually, God existed in the space before I showed up, and when I choose to seek, see or hear or experience him, I inevitably find him. The only way out is through, not by leaping or shrinking, it’s by walking. One step at a time. One inch at a time. One breath at a time. And only when I walk through the lows, the fears, and/or the evils, actively moving, with intention and effort, will I make it through to the other side! Yes, fear and evil and shadows exist. What what lives in the darkness comes to the light! And shadows are darkness with light just on the other side. I will make my way through the shadows and come to the light! I have the power to choose my feelings. I have the power to choose to face fear and not feel fear. I have the power to walk through shadows and see evil and not fear it. Where I go, God goes.
And what’s better than that?! So on this day, I am eager to continue forward, onward, and upward, one step at a time. While I admit that I would much rather leap to the light of my destiny instead of walk to it, today I again surrender to God’s love and truth. Today I recommit to taking active steps with boldness and courage to move forward to face my fears and expand my faith. To face evil and not fear it. To become even more of who I know in the depths of my being I was called, created and purposed to become.
Closing Prayer
God, thank you for the gift of emotion. Thank you that my emotions are a highlighter to show me the very feelings that I may be neglecting to acknowledge. Thank you that I can feel my emotions but don’t have to be my emotions. Thank you that I can feel my feelings without being them. Thank you for the power of choice. Thank you that your way is better than mine. Thank you that your will and mine are becoming one.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13 KJV
