Have you seen the movie Iron Man? The moment he puts on the suit it’s shwoop, clink, clang, zip–the pieces of iron encase him tenaciously. That’s what I do to my heart when someone hurts me. I practically encase my heart in iron. The difference is…I don’t get any superpowers like Iron Man. Instead the process weighs me down and takes away my ability to live in freedom.
Remember the song I Hope You Dance? It’s the soundtrack that plays in my mind lately to counteract any temptation to have an Iron Man heart:
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed.
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance.
Living might mean taking chances but they’re worth taking,
Loving might be a mistake but it’s worth making.
Don’t let some hell bent heart leave you bitter.
When you come close to selling out, reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
I hope you dance….I hope you dance.
Truly a challenging message resides in that old country song.
Just this morning I watched my son walk up the sidewalk, and into the high school. I thought about all of the (hundreds) of times I’ve watched him walk into a school…from age 5 to 15…and every single time I pray for his heart.
“Lord may his heart bow to You. May his love for You increase his faith, strength, courage, integrity and love for others.”
See, I hope he “never settles for the path of least resistance,” and that no “hell bent heart leaves him bitter,” but instead I hope and pray he chooses to “dance.”
God gives all of us a chance to “dance.” My high schooler’s opportunity is sharing the gift of drawing…articulating his vision of the world with pen and paper. Seems simple enough, but you would be amazed at the resistance he faces.
There will always, always, always be someone who tries to prevent us from dancing! Why? Because the enemy of our soul wants to rob us and the world of what God created us to do. When a person chooses to “dance” with all of their might, it glorifies God! So the enemy swoops in to kill, steal and destroy, and he uses people around us to do his dirty work: bullying, discouraging, hating and mocking. Everyone has insecurities and pain but we have a choice with what we do with it: hurt others or allow God to heal us.
When I look at my children and see how God has created them, I want them to dance; to overcome criticism, hate and discouragement. God’s purpose for their lives is so much greater than the opposition they face! I want them to “promise me to give faith a fighting chance, and when they have the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope they dance!”
If I desire this for my children, can you even begin to imagine how much God desires this for you…His beloved child?
Are you sitting it out? I totally understand (remember my heart has looked like Iron Man before) but consider these Scriptures dear friends:
+ Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
+ Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
+ 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
+Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
It is only by trusting and knowing Jesus that we can ever have the courage to dance! Just like David who danced before the Lord with “all of his might,” we can go for it…not holding back…and God will be glorified.
The bridge of the song sums it up beautifully:
Time is a wheel in constant motion, always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder…where those years have gone.
I hope you dance ❤️