Tough world plays tough tunes
That breaks hearts and bodies
Even of the very strong and mighty.
I cannot help the tunes that play.
I cannot dance it on my own
No matter how I try so I learned
To take the hand of my Father
And for every tune that life plays
Good or bad, exciting or depressing
I reach out, take the hand of my Father
And step out to dance with my Father
And that makes a world of difference
In the way I dance the tunes of life.

When you really need something, you look hard. The harder you look without seeing what you seek, the more desperate you could get. Perhaps subtly or even certainly, if you continue unchecked, the farther you will shift from right and rational. That fateful morning after the loss, that was the direction the monsters were nudging but I knew better.

I went on my knees, I told God the truth: “I don’t understand this. Help me to bear it – I can’t on my own. Looking back is yielding no helpful results, help me look ahead. Strengthen me to bear this, to live this, I don’t know for how long, but for every day that I need to, give me strength to keep dancing, to keep moving forward and not stop to look backward. And if ever I have to stop and look back, may it be in gratitude and praise.”

Over time, I learned to bear it, to adjust, to live it, from one day to the other. It was my first time experiencing that but I had to learn. And I learned. Often we are first timer on specific dance floors of life. That notwithstanding, we can learn if we want to. We can learn if we choose to. We can learn if we try. There are no formulas you can adopt and adapt to. Even for the same experiences, the weight and outcomes vary for different folks. Even when it appears life is playing the same tune for everyone, yet you can’t dance like everyone else or you will lose yourself. Each person will have to find their feet and dance their styles even when it doesn’t make sense.

The duration may be unknown and if revealed may appear impossible. But one day at a time, taking every day in bit as it comes, from dawn, to noon, through dusk, we can cope if we try. We can survive if we strive. We can thrive if we persist and not cave in to the surmounting pressures from within and without. It’s tough, it’s a choice but it is possible – we can make it if we believe. We can make it if we try and keep trying and not give up.

God began to open my eyes over time to understand not what happened and why it happened but what could have been the case – if not for God. And the more these dawned, the more my heart lifted in thanksgiving, strengthening me to bear that instead of something much worse. And so I made it for one day, one week, one month: God helped me dance that strange tune until He provided another car. This same God is faithful. He is able, He is willing, and He is near to help you dance whatever tunes that life is playing currently in your life.

You can fight the monsters of discouragement and despair, the monsters of loss and grief, whatever their names or power they hold because the weapons of our warfare are not carnal – they are mighty through God (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5). Bearing this in my mind, this is my prayer for you;

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1: 17- 23)

Amen! Don’t stand by and watch or hum the tunes life is playing for you. Dance my friend. Find something enjoyable if not in the tune, then in the dance steps you choose. And laugh too, as often as you can; laugh at life, laugh at events, laugh at yourself. Happiness is a choice – rejoice! It may be tough, still you can choose to throw in a handful of joyfulness into the somber tunes, it could boost your dance moves.

Glory!