Just Dance

I danced in the rain yesterday while singing Unashamed Love at the top of my lungs. I felt like I was a kid again, happy and carefree. Then I heard thunder in the distance and was quickly reminded that I am an adult and my life is no longer carefree.

The rain was strangely healing and after the day I had I need to be cleansed and reminded that God’s love is magical.

I get frustrated when televangelists say that to be happy we simply need to give God money. The fact is they are lying. Life can suck sometimes. When we are hurt by people that we trusted. When we come to the realization that we cannot fix all the brokenness in our world. When we learn how hurtful and powerful our words can be.

I am a Christian. I believe in a God of love and grace. But I also affirm that life can really suck.

The thing that I have come to realize is that God is not only present in the happy, carefree moments of our lives, but that She is also present in all of the sucky, icky moments of our lives as well.

In life’s sucky moments we hold onto hope. Hope that life won’t always suck. Hope that tomorrow will be better day. Hope that “every promise in the Book” really is ours. Hope that the storms of our lives will pass and a rainbow will appear.

This hope is not new. The ancients had hope: “A child is born to us, a son is given to us, and authority will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be vast authority and endless peace for David’s throne and for his kingdom, establishing and sustaining it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.” “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. They will dwell secure, because he will surely become great throughout the earth; he will become one of peace.” Under Roman oppression the people held unto this hope, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Jimi Hendrix understood this hope, “When the power of love over comes the love of power, the world will know peace.”

I keep seeing that saying that says, “In the happy moments praise God. In the difficult moments trust God. In the quiet moments seek God. In every moment thank God.” This is a quaint little saying but what if; In the happy moments we praise God. In the sucktastic, icky moments we dance in the rain singing and the top of our lungs. And in every moment we hope.

go in PEACE. live PEACE. be PEACE.