The Courage to Dance

I have two questions for you:

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to do something, but didn’t have the courage? 
2. Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to do something, you didn’t have the courage, but you did it anyways?

I’m sure you have, I know I have! Tonight I was in one of those situations. I went to a worship night with a wonderful, spirit-filled, woman of God and her beautiful 4 year old daughter. At Liberty University, where I go to school, I have the wonderful opportunity of worshiping with a body of believers in my age group at least 3 times a week. I love being home, but if I miss one thing about school it is definitely the worship times, where we can drop whatever we are doing and come into God’s presence to do what we were actually made to do! I was excited to be going to this worship night, and open to what God wanted to show me. 

At this worship service there were beautiful dancers who worshiped God on stage. The little girl that I went with began to sway with the music, but there wasn’t enough room in the row of chairs to release the flow of adoration that she felt for Jesus. I whispered in her ear if she would like to go to the back of the sanctuary to dance, at first she said no. But when the dancers re-appeared on stage she pulled on my arm and asked if we could dance. I took her hand and walked her to the back, where I was going to let HER dance. Before we even got to the back this precious child was spinning and whirling around. As I watched this 4 year old close her eyes as she danced to worship Jesus my heart was convicted, I was just standing there! This little girl was totally abandoned to Jesus and how the Holy Spirit was moving her to worship him. I couldn’t stand it any longer and decided to join in the praise. I grabbed her hands and before we knew it we were twirling, whirling, and worshiping together. I would pick her up and we would spin and spin to the choruses of the songs. At the more upbeat songs we would jump and clap and shout praises with delight! We would bow to the ground, and then get back up again to lift our hands to our creator, who is worthy of our dances. 

It was interesting to get the congregations reactions to our dancing. Some would walk by quickly if they wanted to get by, some would give me weird looks as if they didn’t understand why on earth I would be dancing in my bare feet with a four year old. But others would turn and smile with joy (whispering to their friends besides them to get a peek). I think that secretly many of them wished that they too could join in the circle of praise. I learned a lot tonight about worship, from a 4 year old! And although she did not know any of the words to the songs, she sure knew how to worship. 

This was my “I’m in a situation where I want to do something. I don’t really have the courage, but I’m going to do it anyways” situation. And I am so glad that I did. I can’t wait to do that when I can see Jesus face to face. 

Now don’t get me wrong ... I don’t think that the next time I’m at a church service that I will quickly run to the back, kick off my shoes, and throw my concerns for what others think about me out of the window ... but I wish that I could say: “that is exactly what I am going to do!” 

What if I did? Or better yet, what if you did?