Invitation helps the Christian develop one of the fruits of the spirit, peace. One of the most frequently written about concepts in Scripture is fear and the advice to not be afraid. Some people say there is at least one do not be afraid for every day of the year.
Doesn’t that seem like overkill to you? Surely we can’t be afraid in the third millenium. I have found speaking to thousands of church leaders and lay people that the very item stopping invitation is a fear of rejection. Invitation does not create it, it merely reveals that which is already there. Feeling or fearing rejection strikes at the heart of our self-identity. We are in conflict as to who we are. Are we uniquely and fatally flawed or are we sons and daughters of the living God? Someone said “Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict” So in the Seminars we overcome fear of rejection by doing the thing we fear. It is amazing how fear soon is defeated to be replaced by faith.

It was Nelson Mandela who said “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 does NOT serve the world.  We were born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us, ALL of us.  And as we let our Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others and creates more peace. Why not try invitation it can lead to peace

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