Performance Jitters (God Doesn’t Get Them)
You get nervous when you begin to plan an event. You want to make sure everything is in order with no detail left unnoticed or no person accidentally not invited. And who will actually show up? Will we have enough time to plan? Are people as excited about this as I am? Will I look foolish? All these questions and fears and feelings of anxiety start to whirl and build and you can get yourself into a frenzy.
So naturally, as we began planning the first “Out” event for the Performing Arts Engage Group, it was almost instinctive to start worrying. There were so many great things set up for the night of this Open Mic event so why is it that I immediately jumped to thoughts of all that could go wrong? Thankfully, this is not normally my first instinct, but I have recently felt Satan attempt to take jabs at me wherever he can. Because there was such great potential for this event, there was surely a great desire in Satan to attempt to thwart it (isn’t that always the way it is?). But graciously, the Word gives us ammunition against his attempts:
James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
In preparation for setting up performers for the Open Mic, I came across a guy in the Farmer’s Market who was happily playing his guitar before dusk. Though I was nervous, I felt God leading me to ask him to be a part of the event. So I took a breath, said a prayer, and walked over to introduce myself. Cameron (pictured above) just recently started playing his guitar in public, though he’s been playing since he was a teenager. He shared a little more of his story with me via email as he expressed his interest in being a part of the event. I felt God speak to me later in the week, gently reminding me of the recurring example in the gospels of the one lost sheep, the one lost coin, and the one lost son. This event would be considered a success in His eyes if only one person showed up who didn’t know Him. That was it, that was the “goal,” and it was well surpassed.
The event was a great success with multiple performers sharing stories, monologues, poetry, and music. I certainly foresee more Open Mic events taking place. It’s pretty incredible that something like an entertainment event can strengthen your faith. God is just that big and beautiful. He is everywhere and in everything.