Victory Dance

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I love a good victory dance!

We’ve all heard wonderful testimonies of people that have overcome incredible odds and won great battles. Victories are part of what make every story great and its heroes memorable.

When we hear the word “victory” it's typically paired with the word “over.” As in, “I’ve gained victory over ____.” (Fill in the blank.)

Victory is defined as “an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition.” It carries with it the idea of success, triumph, and defeat.

The ability to overcome obstacles is worth rejoicing over, but I think we inadvertently limit this gift by relegating it to the end of the story. What if we broadened the scope, to see that victory is just as attainable in the middle of our trial as it is at the end? It’s not always about gaining victory over something; sometimes victory travels alongside brokenness and defeat as we press on in our faith.

Genuine faith is realized when the battle rages. It’s when we’re in the thick of our trial that we discover victory - not in the sense of winning the battle necessarily, but in discovering Who enables, Who provides, and Who gets the credit. “Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Ultimately, we will see victory overcome every obstacle; God promises that. But God also provides victories IN our difficult and trying circumstances. It’s part of the cumulative process He uses to sanctify us and draw our hearts to Him.

I know a woman who gets up every morning, and goes to bed every night, with a debilitating condition. She has battled it for years, and barring a miracle, she will continue to fight her condition until she dies. Does the fact that she battles, but has never conquered her condition mean that she will never taste victory this side of eternity? Absolutely not! In fact, if you knew how victorious her life has been, you'd be awed at the God who has enabled her to run her race with such grace that she inspires all who know her, including me.

Victory has not been relegated to the end of our story. God never placed that kind of restriction on victory, nor did He place a cap on the number of victories we can have as we "fight the good fight." Discovering this truth is liberating.

Our idea of what it looks like to be victorious boxes us into a very small frame. In reality, the picture is much bigger than that.

Did you know that the Hebrew word for a song leader is linked to the word for victory? When we lift our hearts in praise it boosts our confidence in God and strengthens our resolve. Anxiety and fear are pushed out of the way and gratitude fills the void.

It was no coincidence that God appointed worshipers to lead in battle. Victory starts at the gate and follows a warrior all the way to the finish line. When our enemy hears us singing to the only One with the power to throw “horse and rider into the sea” (part of Miriam’s song of praise in Ex.15) he does the back-step-shuffle. He knows what it means when God's children begin to sing and dance.

I may not be able to dance like I used to, but I'm still practicing my moves. I plan on singing my Savior's praises as I dance my way home. I want to be ready for the party!