For those who feel as lost as I do these days, I offer this ongoing series of spiritual recalibrating practices to help you find your way, again and again.
A few years ago, I captured this delightful scene at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans of a little girl and boy and their mama (surely, the dad broke into dance after I left) imagining they were dancing like the towering Styrofoam papier-mâché ballerina. The little girl stood on one foot, spun, teetered, and giggled as the family clapped.
In this disorienting year, we’re doing a good amount of spinning and teetering, but not much giggling or clapping. Many days I look more like the sour-faced, double-chinned, horned giantess behind the little girl.
So, when you’re spinning and the ground feels like it’s moving under you, how do you keep your balance and perspective? Take a lesson from dancers and learn to find your fixed point, again and again. Unlike the Mardi Gras float ballerina, you’ll have to keep the eyes of your soul open for this exercise.
Dancers train in a technique called “spotting” which orients them to where their bodies are in space and helps quell dizziness when they do any type of turn. They choose a stationary point and, as they turn their bodies, they snap their heads around and return their gaze to that spot.
Their practice of focusing and refocusing on a fixed unmovable object can be applied as a recalibrating practice for our spiritual lives. It makes me think of a line from one of my favorite hymns, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: Look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. (Listen to this version by Connie Skellie.)
The problem is sometimes we allow the the “things of earth” and distractions of the day to dim the light of his glory and grace. We’re so busy gutting out our lives, we fail to slow down to feel our emotions or consider the circumstances spinning us into dizziness and disorientation. Train yourself to know where your heart is in that moment. Pause and name what you are feeling. Then turn to the fixed truths about Jesus Christ in his incarnation, life, death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.
When you’re feeling alone, that no one understands, turn your eyes to Jesus in his incarnation and life on earth. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Because he chose to live in a human body with us and experienced life’s struggles and suffering, you are never alone. And he will never abandon you. Matthew 1:23, Romans 8:38-39.
When you’re feeling guilt, shame, the weight of your sins and your failures, fix your eyes on Jesus on the Cross. He died for you and your sin and guilt and shame, your “too-muchness” and “not-enoughness.” Focus and refocus on the Cross which is our fixed, finished, final point. Because of the Cross, you are accepted, free, and not condemned. I Corinthians 1:18, Romans 8:1.
When you’re feeling weak, weary, fearful, and confused, look to Jesus in the power of his resurrection. Those closest to Jesus felt these same emotions after his death and before they saw him raised from the dead as he promised. His resurrection changes everything. His resurrection gives real and powerful hope to combat your real fears. John 11:25, I Peter 1:3.
When you’re suffering, grieving, and hopeless, look to Jesus resurrected and ascended into Heaven, effectively and powerfully interceding for you. He is on his throne and preparing a place for you. John 14:1-3, Romans 8:11, 26-27, 34, Hebrews 4:16.
Like dancers, may we train our eyes to “re-turn” again and again to the wonderful face of Jesus and the amazing and true words of Scripture. Then, we won’t end up going through this stormy life with a sour-faced, seasick expression. We can twirl and dance and hear him clapping and singing over us with love. Zephaniah 3:17.