You Are The Life Of The Party

The other day I posted a graphic on my Facebook feed with the following quote from Fredrick Buechner: 

The grace of God means something like this: Here is your life.  You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. 

That quote has been in the back of my mind for a few days, and I've been mulling over it, trying to figure out how it's speaking to me.  

To begin with, I have a confession of sorts.  I suppose it's more of a revelation, to be accurate, but it feels a bit like a confession.  Here goes:  

I've learned over the past year that people with my particular personality tend to be performers, doers, the kinds of people who get things done and will hardly ever ask for help.  My go-to response to most of the things I feel I'm responsible for doing is: "I got this."  

But when I don't live up to my own expectations... or if I feel like I am falling flat on my face in failure... I can go to some seriously dark places. 

This is why the Buechner quote is so meaningful to me.  When I'm in those dark places where the self-doubt and negative self-talk seem to be the only things I can hear...

When I'm struggling to believe for myself all the things I tell other people about how they are loved, cherished, valued and filled with divine purpose...

This quote reminds me that in God's infinite wisdom God determined the party wouldn't be complete without me.   God cherishes me in all of my frailty and accepts me as I am. 

And it's this knowledge that gives me the strength to rise. 

I read a wonderful quote the other day by Joan Chittister that I'll close with today:

We are each here to give our best and give our all in the service of the will of God for us.  There is no going back.  There is no staying down when we fall down. We bother to get up and try again because we said we would. 

If you feel as though you have fallen down, and lost your sense of self...  If you have begun to feel purposeless in your frailty... Know that you are loved.  Know that you have a purpose.  Rise and rumble. 

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and for always. Amen.