The Heart of Dancing in the Spirit
Maria Sandy Masangya
Lent is the season when we, Christians, reflect on ourselves to say – it’s time to repent. It is also a preparation to celebrate the feast of Easter when Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. In the dance ministry, we also observed this season by improving not only the routine itself but by extending it to our spiritual life as well. As dancers of God, which is how we commit and call ourselves, it is our responsibility to bring the message of every worship song to the people. But how can we do it if we are dancing with empty hearts? If we only do this for ourselves? This is the time to reflect and check the motives of our hearts and if there is still joy in serving God.
Every Saturday, we have these teachings that help us develop and strengthen our spiritual life. These are very important because we cannot deny that sometimes when we are dancing, our intentions are not pure enough to an extent that we fail to feel and express the true essence of doing it. We need to examine ourselves and I know after these teachings we can be better because it is for our God. From what I have learned in one of our teachings, dancing without being spiritually prepared is just performing. Spiritual preparation comes by reading the bible, praying, and having a meditation or quiet time with God. We are not only ordinary dancers but we are consecrated worship ministers. Since we are consecrated worship ministers, we must also have a serious connection and relationship with God. We should give it all and set good motives when entering the presence of God. Dedicate our time to focusing only on Him because God is only worthy of our praise.
Having this kind of spiritual life is not only applicable to us worship dancers or other worship ministers but also to all people. We are so busy with work, school, business, and other things that we do not give even a minute to God for a long time, unknowingly. When we start our day, we should always give time to pray and read the bible. We experienced so many shortcomings and failures but we should grab this opportunity to get more connected and closer to God. Ask Him for strength, guidance, courage, and grace to continue in our life. When we are lost, there is always a way to return to Him. All we need is to ask for forgiveness and turn away from all the old ways that we have done as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things become new.”
As the Lenten season ends, may we carry all that we have learned in this season and live with it. It is our chance to renew our life and ask for repentance. When we already ask for forgiveness then we should do our best to change and lessen committing sins. We should become alive again just the way Jesus was also resurrected. Let us continue to serve and worship God with gladness and joy in our hearts as we ultimately enter the season of Easter.