I HOPE YOU DANCE

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

Did you know that God has gifted you in a specific, unique way…..different from anybody else in this world? He has gifted you, wired you, and designed you to be good at certain things. And He has given you specific works that only you can do!

Do you know what your unique gifts are? Sometimes finding those gifts can seem like a big task. Sometimes we can easily think that we are not good at anything. Look closely at the desires of your heart. Your passion and desires for certain things usually point you to the gifts God has given you. And often, it is more than one thing, a combination of several gifts that God blesses you with. What is the purpose of these gifts? In today’s verse, it encourages us to use our gifts to SERVE OTHERS, FAITHFULLY ADMINISTERING GOD’S GRACE in its various forms. I think there is a mystery here. That somehow, someway, in a way only God can truly know, that when His precious children embrace and use the gifts He has given them for His glory, others see the grace of God. They get a taste of Him. Your gifts point others to Christ.

Have you seen the movie, “Chariots of Fire”? There is a beautiful quote in that movie that always reminds me of the sweet mystery of how God not only uniquely designs and gifts us, but also how He uses our gifts. The character in the movie is a marathon runner. He loves running and is a very good runner. In the movie, he says, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” In a sweet mystery, only, God can understand, this runner can feel God’s pleasure when he runs, and therefore he wants to keep running. And it blesses others when he runs….maybe they get a taste of God’s grace and pleasure when they see him run.

The Bible also talks about spiritual gifts that we are given…”We have different gifts…if a man’s gift is prophesying, let him us it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:6-8. The list of gifts is ongoing and long and can be a combination of spiritual gifts and gifts of artistry or creativity as well.

What stirs your heart? What are you good at? What do you love doing? When do you feel God’s pleasure?

For me, I feel God’s pleasure being a wife. I feel God’s pleasure when I take care of my children and my home. I feel God’s pleasure when I dance. And I feel God’s pleasure when I write. I cannot explain it fully in words, but doing these things feels right. For example, when I am in the ballet studio, sweaty and muscles trembling from pushing so hard, seeing the reflections of pointe shoes in the mirror, moving to the music….I feel God’s pleasure.  Beauty moves us. Music moves us. And dance, art, or whatever it is, can strike a chord in us that points us to our Creator. I cannot explain it, but all I know is that God uses our gifts, YOUR gifts, to help YOU experience more of HIM and to help others get a taste of HIM.

So go forward with what moves you. Talk to the God of this world about the desires of your heart. If you are not sure what your gifts are or what you are good at, talk to Him about it. If dancing helps you feel God’s pleasure, then I hope you dance.

Prayer: “Lord, thank You for the gifts you give us, the skills, the way you wire us to be good at certain things or to have certain character qualities. Thank You that we are all wired  in such unique ways. Help me look to You to discover my gifts and my calling and the unique ways in which You have wired me.”