I never thought that God would speak to me through a Katy Perry song…
However, God is showing me His creativity and and that He has no limits! Last Saturday morning my group was on the way to San Salvador to visit the children with cancer in the hospital. I was listening to music on the ride over and a cover of Katy Perry’s song ‘Roar’ started to play.
Some of you may know that I am a fitness instructor. I have used this song countless times in my playlist for my classes, literally heard it hundreds of times, and I have never really been phased by the lyrics. For some reason (definitely a God reason), God pointed out the lyrics to the chorus to me this time around.
“I’ve got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire…”
Lately, I have viewed my relationship with God as dancing. For the past year, the Lord has been teaching me how to dance again. He is showing me that no matter what I do or where I have been, he is always so deeply in love with me that He wants nothing more than to look past my imperfection and ask me dance with him. Despite what the world may tell me I am, he always sees me as righteous and lovely and pure and wants nothing more than to ask my hand to dance with Him, no matter how many times I fall. Its a beautiful never-ending story of unconditional and perfect love.
While I have learned how to dance with the Lord, it is easy to lose sight of the dance when times get hard. I wish I could say that my Race has been easy so far, but it hasn’t all been clear skies and daisies. Its been difficult. There have been troubles and trials that I least expected. I have had struggles on the field that I never faced at home. I have been attacked with false feelings of inadequacy, confusion, misunderstanding, and lack of clarity. I have experienced feeling like I can’t talk about what I am feeling or what is going on in my life and I have struggled with feeling that my best qualities are unwanted and unneeded here. There have been frustrating times due to language barriers, cultural differences, and even personal differences with my teams. All of these are lies from the enemy, and all of these are spiritual attacks.
The Lord is teaching to recognize these new crafty tactics that the enemy is using against me here. I am learning how to find truth and joy when times are hard and when situations aren’t easy. I am learning that I can trust Jesus, even in the heat of difficulties. I am learning that my situations or environment around me cannot effect my dance with Jesus unless I allow it. I am learning how to not focus on the trials around me, but to keep my eyes locked on Jesus as we twirl and sway.
I am learning how to dance in the fire.
The book of Daniel tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. A quick recap of their story: King Nebuchadnezzar had ordered in the land of Babylon for all the people to bow and worship his golden idol when the music played in the city. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful to the Lord and refused to bow. In rage, the king ordered that they be thrown into a fiery furnace. They replied to the kings orders, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.” As the king’s guards went to throw them into the furnace, the fire was so hot that the guards were killed instantly. However, when the king went to look inside the furnace, he saw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking around in the fire with a fourth man! The king was astonished, and ordered that the furnace be opened and the men be allowed to walk out, and the king worshiped the Lord.
Again, I have read this story so many times growing up, but this time around, the Lord revealed new points to me.
1. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not ask that the Lord take away the fire. They declared that the Lord would be present and would deliver them from the flames. They knew that when the Lord was with them, the flames would have no power over them. Likewise, when times are hard, I do not necessarily need to ask the Lord to take away the trials. God often times uses trials we go through as a tutor to teach us and bring us closer to Him. Instead, I am realizing that no matter how hot the flames are, they have no power over me when I keep my focus on the Lord.
2. The guards who did not have Jesus with them were burned by the flames. Without Jesus, the fire was able to kill and destroy. Without Jesus in my heart and in my life, I would never be able to withstand the hard times and the struggles.
3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t just withstand the fire, but they were able to walk in the fire with Jesus. The fire had NO affect on them. The kept their eyes on the Lord and the flames were not able to touch them. The effects of the flames were completely diminished when Jesus was in the picture.
4. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s ability to walk in the fire with Jesus allowed other to witness the power of Jesus. The king was able to see the power of Jesus through their faith! When faith is put in Jesus and not in myself to be able to withstand hard times, Jesus is able to shine and His glory is exemplified.
Flames are hot, and they hurt. The struggles and attacks I have felt are the same as flames: hot, painful, and engulfing. Unfortunately, Satan will never stop sending flames our way. He will continue to try to bring down the kingdom of God until the Lord returns and stops him once and for all.
But these effects of flames are completely diminished when Jesus is in the picture.
I am learning how the Lord needs me to deal with the flames around me. I am learning that ignoring the flames leaves me burned, pretending the flames don’t exist leaves me burned, trying to handle the flames on my own leaves me burned, and focusing on the flames instead of Jesus leaves me burned.
But with my eyes on Jesus and my faith in him, I can more than just withstand the flames…I can dance in them.
With my eyes on the Lord, joy and love and peace and happiness can be found in the midst of the fire. I will continue my dance with the Lord, eyes locked so intensely on His, that everything else fades away. With my eyes on the Lord, the false feelings and the frustration and the differences all seem to fade away and even take care of themselves. God can handle it without my help, he just needs my eyes on Him and my faith in his power. My role is simply to dance with Him and experience his unconditional love.
So today, I refuse to pray for the flames to be taken away. Instead, I am praying that the Lord will make me strong and brave to walk through the fire with my head lifted high, and my spirit revived in His glory.
I am thanking the Lord for the opportunity to keep my eyes on him and dance in the midst of the flames.
Despite the flames I will continue to keep my focus on Jesus, I will continue to allow him to lead me as I follow his steps, and I will refuse to look away as I learn to dance in the fire with my Lord.
