The Dance

There's a line from an article I'm working on that won't leave me alone. It says: Dance. Even when life hurts. It's better than the alternative.

I've talked a lot about dances on this blog and in the youth discipleship group I love leading. The fear dance, The Great Dance, and in my recent article, dancing with diabetes. All of these share a common element of comparing hard things in life to a dance.

One of my favorite songs from college does the same thing. It’s a Garth Brooks song called The Dance. Like the author of this song, I shared a dance with someone that left me alone holding a broken heart. Listen to these lines:

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared ‘neath the stars above
For a moment, all the world was right
How could I have known that you’d ever say goodbye.

And now, I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d of had to miss the dance.

Holding you, I held everything
For a moment wasn’t I a king
But if I’d only known how the king would fall
Hey who’s to say, you know I might have chanced it all.

And now, I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end
The way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d of had to miss the dance.

I know life is not left to chance. But it is better left in the hands of our loving God who knows best. Even when what He decides hurts.

Truth be told, I had no business staying with the guy that left me brokenhearted. God warned me to get out of the relationship and finally showed me the truth I didn’t want to see. But like a lot of painful things in my life, God has proven He truly does work all things for good.

He’s the author of the Dance. My dance. And yours.

There are so many times I’d like to sit this dance out. Like when my diabetes is out of control or when things in my marriage hurt. But if I truly believe God is good, I have to keep dancing, even when life hurts. Why? Because I know from experience God has something to show me. Something good.

I was reading a chapter in my writer’s devotional today on being like Peter, my all-time favorite Bible character. To anyone who knows me well this is no surprise. ;-) I’m so like brash, bold, impetuous, loud Peter. I only hope God has great things in store for me like He did for Peter.

Every time I hang out with my three princesses or my Bible study girls, I know for sure He does. They remind me God has a good plan.

They also help me to remember the dance is worth every step. Even the ones that hurt.

Back to Peter. Here are some of the quotes that hit me so hard as I read today. Quotes that led me to thinking about this dance of life.

“Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” 1 Peter 4:7 NIV

“Keep on doing what is right and trust yourself to the God who made you, for He will never fail you.” 1 Peter 4:19

And the final line from today’s devotion: “He has chosen us and will equip us so that, through the words we write and the lives we live, we will effectively be able to ‘show to others how God called [us] out of the darkness into His wonderful light’” 1 Peter 2:9

Those verses challenge me. First to keep my mouth shut when I’m angry so that my rash words don’t bring further damage in a tough situation. Something I’m still learning and failing at more than I succeed. But I’m learning. I’m a glorious mess. God is so getting that point across to me.

Second, those verses challenge me to trust myself to God because He will never fail me. People will. But that’s not an excuse to sit this dance out. To withhold forgiveness. Or to refuse to love.

That’s hard. Hard on a good day and even more difficult when I’m looking at the surrounding storm, watching the waves. And sinking.

Not only is Peter my favorite Bible character, but his story of walking on the waves is also my favorite place to go for encouragement.

God called Peter into that storm and out of the boat.

And even though he started to sink, God was there to rescue Peter.

Me too.

When I listen. When I dance. And more often than that, my awesome Daddy pursues me when I’m trying not to listen and instead working hard to sit things out in disobedience.

I don’t believe I’m alone in that. Peter and I aren’t the only ones that focused on the waves and sank. Right?

Wherever you are, whether enjoying a great dance, or trying to sit one out, please listen closely to the Father’s outstretched hands and love-filled command to “Come.”

You see, He’s playing your song.

Don’t sit this one out. Because when this dance lesson is over, we’ll be dancing for all eternity to the perfect rhythm of grace, in the arms of our Perfect Partner.

So dance. Even when life hurts. It’s worth every step.