Being Content

"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, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not in just some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson

The other day I was on the phone with my brother (twin brother), and he was telling me about what all he is doing out at Stanford. He's brilliant, honestly, one of the smartest people I know. Here is a picture of us and our mom:

Anyway, he was so excited telling me about the projects he is working on, and how he is making a difference in the world. I couldn't be more proud.

You know, I get so excited talking to people who are excited about where God has them. He fully understands that he is exactly where God wants Him right now, and he is completely content being there.

In our conversation, I told him I thought it was funny that here we are as adults, and he is working on changing the course of history one knee replacement at a time, and I am wiping bottoms all day. :) He laughed, and then asked me, "But isn't that exactly where you want to be?" And you know what, it is. It absolutely is. I want to be exactly where God wants me to be, and thankfully, right now that is home wiping one cute, little,  squishy, little wriggly booty. 

Lately, God has made it so clear to me that I must know that where I am is where He wants me to be, and I don't just mean physically, as in being at home. I mean in every area of my life. He has created me to be who I am, and one way to impact others is by graciously receiving who he made me to be, and being content in that. 

I love the quote at the top of this post. These are the lines I especially love, "We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not in just some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Do you know that we were born to manifest the glory of God!? Isn't that amazing. And one way Satan stops us from doing that is by either making us insecure in who we are, or by making us discontent with where God has us. 

When we start embracing who God made us to be and start embracing where God has us right now, something incredible happens. We are content. And not only content, but also confident, a healthy confident. And our contentment and confidence spills over onto other people. It gives other people freedom to do the same. It gives other people freedom to be confident in who they are in Christ, and in where God has them. 

Paul says in Phillipians,

¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

The secret of contentment is Christ. Do you know Christ? Do you really know him? And do you know that His plan for you is so much grander than your own plans? And do you know that the only way for you to be secure is to accept who He made you to be, and the only way for you to have peace is to be doing what He wants you to do? 

  

From the outside looking in, my brother's daily life, and my daily life really couldn't be any more different, but the truth is, we are both confident in where God has us. Praise Jesus for ordering our steps! 

Praying contentment for you friends!

Monica