Dancing in the Dark –from “Connections”

Almost every evening I jog in the park near my house. I see all kinds of people doing all kinds of things, and this time I saw a middle-aged couple dancing. Sort of. No music or anything, just a man holding a woman in ballroom dance position, teaching her how to dance. She was so clumsy, her feet would barely move, and when they did they stumbled. No better way to put it.

On my second lap around the park, day was giving way to night. And the two were still there in ballroom stance. He was still teaching, but something had happened to her feet. They were moving. I slowed to watch. At his direction and lead, her feet stepped in sync with his: forward, to the side, and back. Not perfect, but better than my first sight of them.
 
Darkness settled in. But she was learning to dance.
 
And it was like life.
 
How often in your life have you felt as if sunshine had turned to darkness? Maybe for a brief time; maybe for years.
 
I urge you: Learn to “dance” in the dark.
 
You may know someone who’s traveled your path and can walk beside you. You may know someone who cares enough about you to be with you in hard times. Even if not, the Spirit of Jesus is with you, like a teacher, if you follow him. And his Word is the manual.
 
Learning to dance in the dark is like–
   Finding God’s peace in the midst of stress.
       Holding onto joy when news is bad.
          Making the best of things when they’re not perfect.
              Nurturing a heart of gratitude even when no one else would.
                  Trusting, even when everything seems to say no.
 
When life gets dark, may you dance well.