How To Keep Dancing Even When It Hurts

Back To School With God Series

A Sermon By Jim Hammond from Philippians 4:4-13

God promises the Christian four things in life.  He promises peace, power, purpose, and problems.  He said, in John 16:33,  in this world you will have problems, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  When he said this, He didn’t say I want you simply to hang on and endure the problems.  He said, “be of good cheer”.  We need to get the whole message, not just half the message.  Half the message is that we will have problems.  The whole message is that we can still be of good cheer, because Christ is our over comer.

Scott Peck opens his book, The Road Less Traveled,  with a similar statement.  He wrote:  Life is difficult.  He continues,

This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.  It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. 
     . . . Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties as if life were generally easy, as if life should be easy.  They voice their belief, noisily or subtly, that their difficulties represent a unique kind of affliction that should not be and that has somehow been especially visited upon them, or else upon their families, their tribe, their class , their nation, their race . . . , and not upon others.  I know about this moaning because I have done my share.”

There are religious false teachers out there who would have us believe that life should not be difficult.  That somehow if your spiritual life was ideal, life would not be difficult.  They teach that all problems can be solved quickly, even miraculously.  They teach that being saved, means being safe.  My experience tells me life is not like that.   I do not believe this to be what the Bible teaches either.  The Bible teaches that in this world you will have joys and sorrows. 

I.  There Is A Time To Mourn And A Time To Dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4)

The Bible tells us that there is a  “time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.”  (Ecclesiastes 3:4). 

Today we study together the attitudes of one mature Christian who learned the secrets of joy and passed them on to us, even while he was practicing these very secrets.  This is what makes his message all the more profound. 

We will be reading words that were written from a prison cell.  We will be reading words that were written by a man who did not know for sure whether he would be released or beheaded.  Yet, we will be reading the words that surprise us with the language of joy, rejoicing, peace and contentment.  Do you want joy that cannot be stolen?  Do you want peace that is beyond human comprehension?  Do you want contentment no matter what circumstances you are in?  Do you want to keep dancing for joy even when it hurts?  Let’s learn how it is done from the pen of Paul when he wrote to the Philippians.

Focus:  The Bible gives us secrets for experiencing a joy that cannot be stolen, a peace that baffles our comprehension, and a contentment that transcends circumstances.  We can learn how to dance even when it hurts.

When it is time to Mourn Don’t Tell People To Dance

The Bible teaches us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and to mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).  The temptation is to take a few Biblical truths and apply them with the wrong timing.  When it is time to mourn don’t tell people to dance. With this caution in place, we are ready to venture into the concept of choosing joy even while it hurts.

II.  There Is A Time to Choose Joy Even While It Hurts

A.     You Gotta Keep Dancin’ (4:4)

In his book by this title, You Gotta Keep Dancin,’ Tim Hansel said, “I believe that pain and suffering can either be a prison or a prism.  The tests of life are not to break us but to make us.”[i]

Philippians 4:4 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

1.      You have a Dance Partner (4:5)

Philippians 4:5 (NIV) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

The Lord Is Near.  We can dance with the Lord of the Dance!

Sydney Carter wrote the song, “The Lord of the Dance” in the 60s.

I danced on Friday when the sky turned black
Oh, it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried My body and they thought I’d gone
but I am the dance and the dance goes on
Dance, dance, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance, said He
And I will lead you all wherever you may be
I’ll lead you all in the dance, said He.

2.      You have an Audience (4:5)

Yet a question comes to my mind from this verse.  What does it mean when it says “the Lord is near”?  Does it mean, he is never far away?  He is our dance partner?  Or is Paul getting at the fact that Jesus is about to return.  His coming and the fulfillment of all things is at hand.  Hang in there with your pain.  Dance.  You can rejoice the Lord is near.  Here is another way to ask the same question:  Who is the dance partner and who is the audience?  On the one hand, the Lord is our Dance partner—He is the one who is near.  He holds us close, he is near in the dance of life.  On the other hand, we dance with others, while we are reminded of the fact that Christ is watching.  He is the audience and he is so near, he’s coming.  Our dance is made more urgent, more lovely, more meaningful because there is a purpose in our dancing.  We are to engage ourselves with others.  Life is a dance.  Who are you dancing with?  Well, as Christians we better look at this both ways.  We are to fully engage with others.  The verse says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.”  The only way that takes place is if we are interacting with others in this dance called life.  I like the way one anonymous writer put it.

Sharing (Author Unknown)

There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my bread with you, and sometimes share a sorrow, too—as on our way we go.
     There isn’t much that I can do, but I can sit an hour with you, and I can share a joke with you, and sometimes share reverses, too—as on our way we go.
     There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my flowers with you, and I can share my books with you and sometimes share your burdens, too-as on our way we go.
     There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my songs with you, and I can share my mirth with you, and sometimes come and laugh with you—as on our way we go.
     There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my hopes with you, and I can share my fears with you, and sometimes shed some tears with you—as on our way we go.
     There isn’t much that I can do, but I can share my friends with you, and I can share my life with you, and oftentimes share a prayer with you—as on our way we go.[ii]

Philippians 4:5 (NIV) Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

B.     Recover Your Balance (4:6-7)

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Are you off centered?  Has worry become the center of your gyro putting you off balance?  Worry can become the center of your focus.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Anxiety can set you off balance.  Christ is the answer.  You can’t dance when you are off balance.  There’s no joy when worry sets you off balance.

C.  Dance to Good Music (4:8)

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

When it comes to joy in one’s life, we need to learn to dance to Good music. 

1.  Turn Off The Distracting Noise!

Paul alerts us to the fact that there are thieves that steal our joy.  Worry is one of the thieves.  But there are other thieves that come in through our thought life.  When your thoughts are filled with the antithesis of what Paul describes in verse 8, the thieves of joy are fast at work. 

What music do you live by?  What thoughts run through your mind.  What noise distracts you from the dance.  Can you shut out the thieves of the mind?  Some distractions are self imposed. 

Philippians 4:8 is an excellent filter. 

Do you even use a filter?   How are you going to filter out the filth?  You have to choose to filter out all the negative and filthy input from the world (externally), and from your self (internally—things from your own mind, destructive self talk, or thought patterns.)  Do you want to keep dancing with joy?  You have to filter out the filth.  You have to turn off the noise. 

When we moved to Cottonwood, we discovered that there’s a lot of minerals in the water.  Those minerals build up on the sinks, and showers, and fixtures.  If there’s that stuff in the water, I decided I didn’t want it building up in me.  We went to Home Depot and bought a water filter for the kitchen sink, for drinking water.  It is a convenient way to filter out all the mineral deposits in our water.  Recently I noticed something.  There is now mineral build up on that drinking faucet nozzle.  Do you know what that means?  It is time to replace the filter.  That stuff is getting through.  Is it time to replace your filter?  Is filth getting through to your life?

You have to filter out the filth, but you can’t stop there.  You have to replace the negative with the positive.  It isn’t enough to cut the bad stuff out, you have to then turn on the good music.  I could solve the mineral build up on my faucet nozzle by turning off the water supply, but the good wouldn’t come to me either.  Paul’s message is not negative but positive.  Think on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

What if this verse was the determining factor for input we allowed into our lives.  What if we asked ourselves every time we watched a movie, or read a book, or listened to music these questions.  Is it true?  Is it noble?  Is it right?  Is it pure?  Is it lovely?  Is it admirable?  Is it excellent or praiseworthy?  If we can’t answer yes to these, then shut it off.

Here’s the danger:  The more exposed we are to filth the less sensitive we become.  

What is Quality Entertainment

Al Menconi
President, Al Menconi Ministries
April 26, 2001

What is quality entertainment? What makes a TV program, video, or movie good?

How would you answer these questions? The typical response by today’s young person is typically “It was funny,” “It was exciting,” “It was sexy,” etc.” But they have a hard time answering question, “Was it any good?” I’d like to share a story I heard recently that may help you answer that question.

As a father was doing his best to teach his children to make wise entertainment choices, he kept getting frustrated by their combative response. They didn’t care that the program might not be appropriate for their innocent minds; all they were concerned about was what their friends had to say. Their father tried explaining that if they put garbage in, garbage was going to come out.

They didn’t care. They had all the excuses. “It was just a little sex scene. They really didn’t show anything. They all have it. I hear more profanity in my gym class. I don’t let it affect me. It’s just a movie, what’s the big deal? You just want to keep me from having fun.”

Nothing the father said made any difference. They wanted to watch what their friends were able to watch and if they didn’t they were going to be angry. He didn’t want to lose communication with his children but he couldn’t make them understand by telling them it was wrong. Maybe if he tried a positive approach?

On the next Saturday morning, he announced that he was going to be making his “world famous” brownies as a special treat for that night. He was well known for his brownies and his children always looked forward to this special treat. He didn’t use the boxed brownie mix. He made them from scratch and he only used the best ingredients. He even bought extra rich chocolate chips to make them real gooey. As an extra special treat, he bought the family’s favorite ice cream to top it off.

After dinner, the children could hardly sit still. The brownies were still warm from the oven. Dad cut each child an extra large slice and topped it off with ice cream. Just as they started to dig in, he reminded them that he only used the best ingredients. He also, reminded them that they were real gooey because he used extra chocolate chips. And they were extra flavorful because of all the chopped walnuts he put in.

They couldn’t wait. They all started to dig in again. Just before they brought the treat to their mouth he added, “And I only put in a little dog poop. It’s not very much and I mixed it in really well. You probably won’t even notice. Go ahead eat up.”

For obvious reasons, his family refused to eat the brownies. No matter how good his ingredients were, they weren’t going to put something in their mouth that had dog poop in it–no matter how well it was mixed in. It was then that they began to understand the point he was trying to make about entertainment.

How about you? Would you eat the brownies? No? Why not? Are you more concerned about what you put into your physical body than what you are putting into your spiritual life?

What is quality entertainment? This question could be answered in a lot of different ways, but one thing is for certain: For entertainment to be considered quality, its basic ingredients should not be polluted with the empty values of this world that are against God’s Word.[iii]  (See Colossians 2:8)

Colossians 2:8 (NIV) See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

D.  Practice (4:9)

Philippians 4:9 (NIV) ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Imitate those who know how to Dance

If you want to dance well, you imitate those who dance well.  The kind of people that I want to be like have learned how to enjoy life.  Even when they have difficulties, as Paul did here, they have a way of looking at the good side of things.  They can make jokes even when they are struggling.  They can laugh and they can cry.  They live.  Life doesn’t just pass them by with the passing of time.

Earlier I mentioned how Christ is the center that restores our balance.  That’s true.  But I have found that sometimes people misunderstand what that means.  They try to focus on spiritual things only.  They spiritualize everything, and talk with some kind of specialized spiritual language.  I believe this comes from the wrong idea of the separation between what is secular and what is sacred.  Listen, God invented everything that is good about life.  Separating life into the sacred and secular categories comes from the wrong idea that life is compartmentalized.  You see, Christ gave us life and life abundantly.  Every time we truly enjoy life, and we enjoy it to the Glory of Christ, Christ is glorified.  The bible tells us “in whatever we do . . .do it unto Christ.”  For me, laughter and joy about anything can be balancing.  I can get too serious.  I can get all stressed out.  I can get all bound up, and wrapped up with problems.  Laughter restores my God given sense of the goodness of God, and the goodness of life.  Life is a privilege.  Joy is a choice. 

I find people who live life fully, laugh heartily, and love openly are contagious people.  They have chosen joy.  They have done things to recover their balance.  Sometimes they focus on the right things.  Sometimes they laugh.  Sometimes they recover their balance by giving to others.  Have you ever been there?  You’re all off balance, you’re tense or depressed, then because you were able to laugh, or because you were able to help someone else in some small way, your balance was restored.

It is people who seem to be able to do this that I want to imitate.  They have learned how to dance.  Paul was that kind of person.  That’s the kind of person I want to be.  I’m not there often enough.  So often I’m so preoccupied I miss the joys of the moment.  It is for this reason that I really like the depiction of Jesus by Bruce Marciano in the Matthew Videos.  In those videos you see a joy filled Jesus.  I enjoy getting together in our Care Groups.  I get to know others who are dancing!

You don’t have to take Paul’s words alone to believe he knew the secret of joy.  Others also wrote about this.  Luke, the writer of Acts, also recognized this about Paul, when he wrote about Paul and Silas in Prison.  What did they do while they were in the stocks in the dungeon?  They sang! (Acts 16)  Here they are in the darkest part of the dungeon, in stocks, their backs bloodied by the flogging.  The guards and prisoners at midnight heard them sing.  They must have been thinking, “What’s with these guys.  Their nuts!”  Then the earthquake shakes the place.  The guard is about to take his own life, fearing that the prisoners had all escaped.  Then Paul the prisoner stops him.  He IS nuts!  The guard wonders, what is it about these guys.  It doesn’t take much for Paul to lead the guard and his family to the Lord.  Paul knows how to dance, even in pain.  He can say unashamedly, practice what you see in me.  I enjoy life, you can to.  I have joy even now in prison.  You can choose joy also.  Come dance with me.  Enjoy the Dance. 

E.     Learn The Secret To Dancing (4:12-13)

Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Tim Hansel tells about a friend of his who mixed up his words one day and said, “All we have is the past, the pleasant, and the future.”  He said, “We thought it was even a better way to echo a truth that all too many of us miss. Few Christians recognize how radical their posture in the world truly is.  Their past is absolutely forgiven and their future is absolutely certain, so that, more than any other body of people on the face of the earth, they are free to live in the “pleasant tense.”[iv]

I have a question for you.  Content or discontent--which tent do you live in?  Have you learned the secret of contentment?  Part of the secret to living in the right tent is to see that even in the midst of problems, you can be content.  Part of the secret is knowing that it is possible.  It means that you can let go of what you think ought to be, and let God work through what is.  It means you can say, “The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not want.” 

Stephen Levine wrote, “Much thought has at its root a dissatisfaction with what is.  Wanting is the urge for the next moment to contain what this moment does not.  When there’s wanting in the mind, that moment feels incomplete.  Wanting is seeking elsewhere. Completeness is being right here.”[v] You don’t have to look somewhere else.  You can trust your shepherd right where you are.  The more we fight his leading, especially if we are in pain resisting his leading, the more amplified that pain becomes.  Can you bring yourself to the point to honestly say, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want?”

A teacher stands up in front of a whole group of children and asks them if any of them can recite from memory Psalm 23.   He’s surprised that one of the youngest, a 4 year old raises her hand.  He asks her again, if she has memorized the whole chapter.  She nods her head.  So the teacher asks her to stand up in front of the classes to recite the Psalm.  She bravely faces the crowd and says, “The Lord is my shepherd, and that’s all I want.”  Then she goes back to her seat.  That’s a great summary of Psalm 23.  

Dear Lord,

Help us to learn how to rejoice with those that rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn.  Help us to be real with our emotions and not plastic.  At the same time Lord, help us to learn what it means to “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.”  Thank you that you thought it best to have these words penned by Paul, while he was in prison.  We find encouragement here.  Lord,  thank you for being our dance partner, the Lord of the Dance, the one who can bring joy in the midst of pain.  Thank you for being near.  Thank you for being here. We know your coming is near, and this gives meaning and purpose to our lives now.  Help us to fully engage in this life, sharing with others the life you have given us.  Help us to know how to “Let our gentleness be made evident to all.”  Help us to show others just how near you are. 

Lord, I confess that my life so often has the wrong center of balance, and I become off balance.  I yield too often to anxious thoughts, or worry, or other wrong thoughts.  I invite you to reclaim the throne of my life.  I give you the center stage of my focus.  Help me to yield to you.  Restore the balance you have designed for me.  I want to be able to rejoice.  I want to experience the peace you give while you are at the center of my life. 

Forgive me also for filling my thoughts with filth, or filling my mind with things that are not true, or noble, or worthy, or honorable.  Lord, help me even to arrest my self talk.  Put a guard over my heart and mind.  I resolve to replace my filter.  I choose to live in your tent, content rather than discontent.  I choose to live in the “pleasant tense”.  Help me to let go of the past, and not worry about the future, and live for you now.

Thank you for your empowerment, and for your promise to never leave me or forsake me.  I love you.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.