Divine Dance

Dance… I’ve never been the best at it, but I’ve always done my best. I’ve never danced out of obligation, but rather, I dance out of passion. I love listening to music, closing my eyes and picturing a dance based on how the music makes me feel. When I worship, I wish I could just dance for the joy the song makes me feel. It’s a passion of mine, it’s a sense of release, all of my worries just go out the window. However, for the longest time, I would dance for others; I would strive for recognition, living in anticipation for the day of the performance. This is how I was with a lot of my activities, I would love performing, but hate practicing, and thus those were not my true passions. (These activities would mainly be playing the trumpet and running track…though trumpet more so than track because I do indeed love the sensation of running just not for long periods of time like at practice lol). Anyway, before my passion for dance came around, it was like I was putting on a mask on performance day. How many times do we put a mask on in our spiritual lives? Is the passion really there or are we fooling ourselves?
I have had the privilege this semester to branch out in my dance knowledge and take a ballroom class. Thus far, I am thoroughly enjoying it. I get in this mood and the pure joy of dancing allows me to block out any negativity going on in my day. That hour and a half keeps me sane. Anyway, in ballroom dancing, the guy is supposed to be the “leader.” He is the one that decides when you turn, if he wants to dip you, that sort of thing. Here are the problems with this in my dancing and spiritual life:

1. Who are you dancing with?
It is important to have a strong guy as a leader. You don’t want to go into a dip or a lift without a strong hand supporting you or you will have a better chance of falling. When I dance with someone, I can tell whether they are a strong leader willing to take control or a timid dancer who only hold my 2 fingers rather than my hands. You can totally feel the difference when someone whips you around in a turn or if you have to turn yourself. If a guy doesn’t know what he’s doing, then you must rely on yourself, but as we all know, we all make mistakes. God is our man, he is the best dancing partner we could have, not a boyfriend or anyone or anything else, GOD. He is the one we should trust to turn us in the right direction, to catch us in a dip, to lift us high without any fear of falling. Is GOD YOUR DANCING PARTNER?!?

2. Who is leading?
Like I said before, if I don’t have a great dancing partner, I end up leading. I feel like it’s my job to pick up the slack. Also, I have a hard time giving up that leading position. My friend a couple years ago was trying to teach me swing dancing. She was acting as the guy and trying to lead me, but I kept screwing it up. I was not willing to be lead, I didn’t know how to be lead. The confusion of not knowing what would come next took control of me. I find this hard in my spiritual life as well. I find it hard to let God take the lead, to trust Him in his plan for my dance. I make an effort, but it’s hard nonetheless. To willingly submit myself, all of me, all of my moves to His plan is hard. Part of my problem with my friend and swing dancing was that I didn’t know how to swing dance in the first place, I was going in blind. Luckily, God gave us the bible to be our dance lesson. He gives us the tools to accomplish and enjoying this dance with Him. WHO IS LEADING YOUR DANCE? ARE YOU WILLING TO LET GOD CHOREOGRAPH AND FOLLOW HIS WORD TO LEARN THE DANCE?

3. Why are you performing?
Do you perform only onstage? Or do you enjoy the practice as well? I love to perform my dance full out every time because I find pure joy in doing so. Are you performing with God and putting all your energy into the dance for the sheer joy of it or for an audience? I personally feel the same rush of energy when I dance alone in my apartment as when I am onstage. I hope that you all and I can dance with God for the joy his love brings constantly and whole heartedly.
There it is people… now excuse me while I go DANCE :)