A Reason To Celebrate

I wrote this a while ago in my journal. Just thought I would share it on here.

During church worship, once, I was thinking about how differently people celebrate God...some shout, some dance, some raise their hands, some sing out loud... I was also thinking about the message series we are currently studying called "Celebrate". I then noticed that I seem to have some anxiety during worship and don't feel free to "celebrate" God during worship as freely as other people do. I wasn't sure why I felt that way but it is not a new feeling, just a new revelation. I was thinking about why I don't feel like I can celebrate Jesus freely and thought of many possiblities: perhaps it is because I sit in the front row (thanks to my husband), and I am so tall, and I am married to J. (enough said)....-I don't feel comfortable celebrating because I stand out...people may be watching me. Perhaps it is because I am just a shy person and like to celebrate more quietly. Perhaps it is because I don't understand some of the lyrics to the songs. Perhaps it is because I can't sing.... But then I realized how self centered all of those thoughts were. So in the middle of one of the songs, I asked God to teach me how to celebrate him. And he told me very clearly, "You need to have a reason to celebrate."

I was thinking, "What are you talking about. I know the reason. I was raised in the church. I know all about salvation." As our conversation continued and I learned that I haven't yet fully accepted his unconditional love and freedom. I never fully grasped the extent of what He did for me. I was raised Catholic, and when I chose to follow Christ as an adult a few years ago, it wasn't a drastic conversion. I have always had a knowledge of God and his mercy and grace. But when I accepted Him I wanted to follow him and be more like him. So that is what I did. I learned to pray, I learned how to study the Bible, and I tried to be more Godly in my role as wife, mother, steward, friend, and servant.

But God told me that night during worship that I struggle with celebrating Him because I spent so much time trying to be a better Christian, that I haven't stopped to think about why I do all of that. I haven't fully accepted the completeness of His gift to me on the cross. I told God that night that I was sorry for not celebrating Him and for not fully accepting His mercy and grace. I even told him I would go to a prayer team after service to repent and seek his forgiveness. That is when he told me "You still don't get it. You don't have to do ANYTHING! I love you even if you don't do anything for me. I love you just how you are, right now, unconditionally. There's your reason to celebrate."

Celebrate-to praise or "honor widely" (the random house dictionary)

I can sing to Him (though it isn't pretty), I can pray to Him, I can live for Him, I can serve Him. But I can not celebrate Him if I don't have a reason to celebrate.


I may not dance and sing out loud. I may not shout or raise my hands. But now I know that if I am not celebrating Him it is because of my own selfishness. Now I have a reason to celebrate! It is now up to me to overcome myself in order to "honor Him widely."