“You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
— Psalm 16:11
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
— Psalm 32:11
“Well done, good and faithful servant…
Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
— Matthew 25:23
Tonight, while working out (of all things!), I was reminded that God can use the oddest, most unexpected moments to help us grow—and to bring us back to life in Him.
For a long time, I lost sight of joy.
Not intentionally, not dramatically—but slowly, quietly, in a way that crept in without me even noticing.
The Long Season of Too-Tight Shoes
There was a season in my life when everything was about living soberly, righteously, and—most of all—seriously. I wanted to follow God with my whole heart, and somewhere along the way, I started believing that the only way to do that was by eliminating everything that might be joyful or light.
What else did I need to cleanse from my life?
What was I doing wrong?
Which kinds of music should I forgo?
How much more fabric should I add to my wardrobe?
Where else was I failing—God, my husband, my children, my friends?
The joy was gone.
The freedom was gone.
And slowly, so was I.
The Moment It Hit Me
One day, while watching a favorite TV show (one of the few guilty pleasures I allowed myself), a character said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“My shoes are too tight… but it doesn’t matter, for I’ve forgotten how to dance.”
And just like that, something clicked.
I remembered how I used to dance—literally. I used to dance around the house with headphones on, moving while I cooked or cleaned, letting the rhythm bring me joy. It wasn’t about performance. It was about delight. About freedom. About worship.
But somewhere along the way, I had stopped.
Not just dancing—but laughing.
Enjoying.
Living.
I had given up the lightness of life, the humor, the joy of being fully and freely myself in the presence of a God who delights in me.
Laughter Is a Language of the Kingdom
“A merry heart does good, like medicine…”
— Proverbs 17:22a
Laughing is more than just a reaction—it’s an expression of joy that comes straight from the heart of God. Humor is edifying. Encouraging. Healing.
Colossians 3:23 tells us:
“Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord…”
And that “whatever” includes dancing.
It includes laughter.
It includes joy.
Laughter and music are two of God’s greatest gifts. They allow us to express our hearts, our hope, our dreams, even our pain. And sometimes? The best source of humor is the person staring back at me in the mirror.
I’ve learned that laughing at myself—not in shame, but in grace—is a sign of healing. A sign that I’m beginning to see myself the way God does: fully known, fully loved.
Learning to Dance Again
It’s not always easy to walk out of bondage.
Legalism can feel so noble, so disciplined, so holy.
But it’s empty when it’s joyless.
Joy is part of our inheritance.
And every day, God is gently teaching me how to dance again.
To move when He leads.
To hear His music, even if it’s different than the one others hear.
To let my feet follow the rhythm of grace.
And you know what?
It’s okay if I’m the only one in the room dancing.
Because He is there with me.
I’m taking off the too-tight shoes.
And I’m putting on the ones that were made for me—shoes of peace, joy, and freedom.
I’m learning to dance again.
And I’m doing it joyfully.
Run with Patience 
Well, tonight I cried, watching “American Idol.” My opinion is Dave A. had the better, more versatile voice, but I am still glad for Dave C., who won. His tears, and his obvious love for his family, won me over. Also his brother, who is battling brain cancer.
I also just adore the smile on Brooke White’s face when she sings.
Although there were a couple songs and a few outfits I didn’t approve of, by and large I saw people having fun and America joining in the party, and I enjoyed watching it. And I prayed for the people on that show, too.
But getting to your point . . . a few years ago I would have been a fire breathing dragonnette against that show being played in my house. But I have learned I don’t have to absorb or approve of everything, and if there is a lot of wholesome fun and good music going on, I can join in, too, and just ignore the rest.
I received an interesting email from my sister about a year ago. She and her husband are missionaries in Bangladesh. She and I grew up in a staunchly conservative Fundamental Baptist pastor’s family. We were taught the list of most despised sins – drinking alcohol (ever, including Nyquil), going to movies, coloring your hair, and the worst sin ever: dancing. These perceived sins are, of course, completely extra-biblical and are derived from our culture rather than from the Bible.
So my sister wrote this email to me to tell me about a sermon preached by one of the native Bangladesh pastors. He preached about “What distinguishes the Christian from the world?” He used as his text 2 Samuel 6, where David danced in joy before the Lord. The thrust of his sermon was that the thing that distinguishes Christians from the world (the world in Bangladesh being a Muslim world with a smattering of Hinduism) was that Christians dance.
Imagine my sisters enjoyment of that message after having been raised under the teaching that one of the worst sins you could ever commit was to dance.
I have a great joke about Baptists in this regard, but for the sake of your reader’s sensibilities, I’ll refrain from telling that joke just now.
Richard,
About your sister… real LOL!!! But seriously, don’t you think that our joy in the Lord should be one of the things that distinguishes us from the world? Gotta love that independent fundamental Baptist teaching. Thank God He freed me from that!!!
I may know the joke to which you’re referring. Josh McDowell told me one a couple of years ago in FL which was funny but may offend some readers! 🙂
Oh . . . is that the one about why something should never be done “standing up?” 😉
Sorry, couldn’t help myself!!!
(Sandy, I won’t be offended if you delete this.)
Ok, you all, you can’t do this to me. Somebody tell me the joke!
Sandy, it’s so true, we often get so tangled in the musts and thou shalts and thou shalt nots, that we miss out on any joy.
Thanks for the reminder. I needed it…
Lynn, yes, that was the one to which I was referring. 🙂 I was just coming out of fundamentalism and was talking with Mr. McDowell when he told me the joke. Too funny!
Madame,
How about I email it to you? 🙂