If you’re ever tempted to think that you must prove yourself to others, step back a moment and appreciate the fact that you already have God’s approval.
God is your Creator. God made you awesome, in the divine likeness. As God’s loved one, you can’t be improved. There isn’t anything you could do for another person that would improve upon what God has already done for you.
You don’t need to receive anyone else’s approval to feel wonderful about what God created you to be.
The carnal mind might argue that you’re a bumbling mortal, someone who has erred in the past and should suffer in the future. But this is not your identity. You are not a creation of mortal mind. You are a creation of the divine Mind, and what Mind has put in place is eternally yours.
Be wise to not let other people define you. Accede only to God’s outline for your being. Live out God’s plan for your life, not another person’s.
What God has created you to be is beyond human critique. It is perfect in every way, and to be enjoyed every day.
Thank you very much for this message. Just right for me, right now. And the photo! What a gem!
The words “irrepressible Joy” sprang to mind on first seeing the baby’s smile – what an awe-inspiring reflection of God’s delight in His perfect creation! I’m grateful for the insights you prompted with this powerful entry today. Thank you very much, Evan.
This week our lesson sermon has the theme LOVE, how wonderful! Thank you Evan for your today`s SpiritView full of Love to our Father-Mother God. It could not be more suitable for me and meets exactly my today´s need – am I grateful for that!!
Wonderful, to live out God`s plan for my life and not another person`s. A few instances I remember where I did that. Am very grateful and glad for God`s loving guidance and for SpiritView!! 🙂
Thank you so much for this post, Evan. It is very precious! It reminds me of a prayer-poem someone put on Spirituality.com (if I remember well), many years ago, in answer to the question “what is your favorite prayer”:
“I am the place where God shines through,
For He and I are one, not two.
He wants me where and as I am,
I need not fret, nor will, nor plan.
If I’m just relaxed and free,
He will carry out all His plans through me.”
Thank you for your lovely poem!
Neil Patrick Carrick, attributed as the author of the poem you provided. Thank you for sharing the poem, the same poem my grandmother taught me and all of her grandchildren.
Delightful
Thank you
The perfect complement to our SpiritView Day-Week
Love
And thankyou, Beatrice, for that poem you shared. It is definitely now a favorite of mine.
I love this prayer/poem. I have heard it a few different ways but it always inspires. I first heard it several years ago on Sentinel Radio. Often just the first sentence is all I need…reassuring me of my oneness with God. Thanks for sharing it again. (=
Thank you, Evan, such an important and comforting message. There is such a lot of talk about positive thinking and visualisation, people trying to imagine who or what they would like to be, but just being what you are is being what God intended and did. This is actualisation, summarised by Jesus as “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect!” Loving who you are and loving others for what they are, because we are all special and unique, is Love’s fulfilment and joy.
Thank you Evan. Love the picture and thank you Beatrice for the beautiful poem.
Same here – thank you thank you SO much for today’s message Evan!
WOW!!! That’s a life changer.
“Be wise not to let other people define you.” And be wise not to define other people.
Thank you, Evan.
Thank you, Kathleen, for such an important reminder!
Thank you, Beatrice & Chilisands as I remember my 99 year young aunt reciting that poem but I didn’t memorize it & thought it was “gone.” One Mind…
Lovely Spiritview, as always. Gratitude to Evan and fellow commentators. Love, Love, Love!
I wonder how many others are sitting their table with tears in their eyes, as I am, saying, who me? Thank you Evan and all, for helping me accept God’s love for myself. Have a blessed and Love-full day : >)
An absolutely wonderful article, Evan.
Excellent post and comments. Thank you, Evan and all!
A church friend shared a slightly different version of the poem with me in the 1980s. She didn’t know the title or author, but thought it may have been attributed to John Randall Dunn. I’ve been hoping to locate the poem in print to give proper credit when I share, however, it may have originally been a private sharing. (When I Googled “Neil Patrick Carrick,” he comes up as a contemporary, when even my friend had it memorized for decades. Possibly his grandfather?)
This is the version that has blessed me over the years and I hope it blesses everyone here, too:
I am the place that God shines through,
He and I are one, not two.
He wants me where and as I am,
I need not think, nor fret, nor will, nor plan.
If I’ll but be relaxed and free,
He’ll carry out His plan through me.
–Title and Author Unknown
With gratitude and blessings!
Hi Sandra…I found the following article which says the author of the poem that Chilesands referenced (Neil Patrick Carrick) was born in the 1850s. So not a contemporary.
http://www.universalist-herald.org/biography-5.html
Whoops. I misread the article. It says the author of the poem is Charles Edwin Markham, born in the 1850s. The article is written by Neil Patrick Carrick.
I’m so glad to finally know the author of the poem, Charles Edwin Markham. The article referenced above also mentions Christian Science. o:
This is the way I first heard it.
“ I am the place where God shines through, for he and I are one not two. I need not fear, nor fret, nor plan, He needs me where and as I am. And if I remain calm, relaxed, and free, He’ll carry out his plan through me.“ The speaker (and I do not know who it was) on Sentinel Radio, shared his inspiration of the last line as “He’ll carry out his plan as me.”
Thanks Evan and everyone for your comments. (=
This lovely poem is by Edwin Markham, Universalist
I am the place where God shines through,
For He and I are one, not two,
He wants me where, and as I am,
I need not fret, nor fear, nor plan.
If I will be relaxed and free
He’ll carry out His work through me.
Thankyou, Sandra!
Thank you everyone for your interesting replys and additions regarding the poem. I am very glad to learn more about it. I have just googled the first line of it, and there are a few slightly different versions to be found. One link indicated indeed that Neil Patrick Carrick is its author. He was born in the 1850s in Oregon City.
Just as Brian, I misread the article. …. I would like to apologize. Charles Edwin Markham is the author, as Brian says… Thank you, BrIan!
Susan Pocklington has put to music the prayer Beatrice mentioned, “I am the place” and is on her album REST IN HIS LOVE and can be found on CD Baby Music store. It is Very lovely!!!
Thank you Evan. Your message for today is so important, especially today in the age of social media where it seems many people live, or succumb to suicidal suggestions, based on the number or absence of Likes they get on social media. The TV show 60 Minutes had a segment on “brain hacking” and described all of the techniques different social media platforms use to hook you on using their app or website, most of which boil down to trying to trying to make you feel that others like you. The negative side, however, is that they are trying to control your behavior through this means and make you use their app or website more and more so that you feel you are getting more and more approval from others. So thanks again for making us aware “God made [all of us] awesome” and we don’t need to feel that we need others to praise us to feel love. God is doling out love to us in unlimited supply!
Nicely unpacking the techniques bombarding us. Love, love, LOVE is the protection, from”brain hacking”, suicidal thoughts, or any other attempt at mind control. Thank you Brian, and Evan, both for the love shown by shedding light on this subject, in a huge way, to raise prayer and awareness as the answer for loving the way God loves us all, individually, “from the beginning”.
Thanks so much, Evan, for this thoughtful message. And to all for your comments. I am so very grateful that through my love for God I have been able to follow His guidance and not listen to the advice and opinions of others. This has brought harmonious results on many occasions.
Thanks, Evan and all. Love the poem! “Live out God’s plan for you, not another person’s.” How true that we must listen and follow God’s direction, and not be afraid. I was told by caring and loving family and friends not to marry my present husband. I listened to God, however, and shut out these well-intentioned comments. I knew in my heart that this person’s qualities were absolutely right for me, and we were married. We are both so grateful to God for bringing us together. God’s plan is the one we must follow, not another person’s—however well-intentioned the advice might be. We’ve been married almost 24 years now, and happily encourage each other’s growth Spiritward. We both thank God every day!
Thank you for comments. On poem.ibelieve first. Line is
I am in the place where God shines through.
Enjoy your SpiritView insights, Evan. Much appreciated.
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡Thank you!
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
What a wonderful article! Defines what I’ve been struggling with all my life. This is so helpful and eye opening.
What a wonderful article! Defines what I’ve been struggling with all my life. This is so helpful and eye opening.
This lovely poem is by Edwin Markham, Universalist Poet
I am the place that God shines through,
He and I are one, not two.
He wants me where and as I am,
I need not think, nor fret, nor will, nor plan.
If I’ll but be relaxed and free,
He’ll carry out His plan through me.