Some people hear God speak often. I’m not one of them.

God isn’t a man of many words with me. He tells me certain things and keeps quiet until I listen.

This is one thing he told me: “The shrunken place is not for you.”

“Oh ok. Thanks.”

That was my response when I heard him say that almost 5 years ago.

It took me a minute, actually 5 years, to really consider and reflect on what He said.

And here’s what I came up with.

Shrunkenness is not humility. It’s invalidity. It’s invalidating the truth of your power and worth. And that is certainly not for you.

Here’s some scripture to back that thang up (too far? sorry):

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

Let that rest on your chest for a bit.

Shrinking destroys your soul. The intricacies of the web of your identity begin to unravel. You lose yourself.

Throughout college, this was one of my greatest trials. I constantly felt the need to shrink. I constantly felt inappropriate and taboo and misunderstood and undefined.

At the time, I found a comfort in discomfort. I’ll shrink down to make others feel comfortable. And it was stifling.

Many shrink because the environment they’re in cannot contain them.

You can either choose a new environment or expand the one you’re in. Neither of those options include you shrinking.

And there will be a time that comes where you will expand your territory.
You will wake up and no longer feel the need to dim your light.

But that time doesn’t come by cornering your soul.

At some point, you’ll have to take up space, make your presence known, and be less affected by others’ opinions.

Let now be that time.

Hope this helps!
Ambini