Dance Your Own Dance
By Karen M. Pina

How many times do you start out doing something with fresh vision, insight, and inspiration from God and others and then something happens? Mid-way through the plan, halfway down the road, smack dab in the thick of it you start looking at others to see what they are doing. You are not dancing your own dance.

Have you ever watched someone who is learning to dance, sing, or play a musical instrument for the first time? What you will most likely observe is them staring at others who have been dancing, singing, or playing longer. You know you are not dancing your own dance, when you find yourself comparing your gifts, talents, and abilities with others.

Let?™s keep building on the analogy of the beginning dancer. The dancer not only looks but also begins to integrate steps, moves, and strides of ?œperceivably more seasoned??dancers into their dance routine. Although it really feels awkward and unauthentic, coupled with the continual nudging of His Holy Spirit in another direction, they keep dancing someone else?™s dance. I may not see it, and you may not see it. At the same time deep down inside they know the truth--they are not dancing their own dance. How long have you been dancing someone?™s dance? Perhaps so long you don?™t even know it?™s not your dance. I wonder what does your dance look like?

I?™m also curious about what?™s keeping you from dancing your own dance, singing your own life song. Maybe it is fear of failure, risk aversion, insecurity, covetousness, or lack of confidence in your abilities, gifts, and God-given vision. It could be any combination of these things. We know one is enough to paralyze you and bring your dance to a complete halt.

Dance your own dance whether others can see you dancing or hear you singing your song. It?™s okay. You are not dancing for them anyway. Maybe no one even knows who you are. Dance, keep dancing anyway. Yes, sometimes you will not have a dance partner. You may have to dance alone versus dancing with a partner who is not dancing their own dance and singing their own song.