Dancing For God's Glory

How do I dance for God’s glory? 

This question comes from the scripture:


When I began researching how to answer this question. I first wanted to know two things:

  1. What IS God's glory?
  2. Why do we need to glorify God?"

To answer the first question I found a post by John Piper who gave a great explanation. He said,

"The holiness of God is, I think, his being in a class by himself in his perfection and greatness and worth...the glory of God is the manifest beauty of his holiness...It is the way he puts his holiness on display for people to apprehend." 

Piper goes on to use Leviticus 10:3 to help describe it a little more. 

"God says: I will be shown to be holy among those who are near me and before all the people I will be glorified."

So, God's glory is a reflection of his holiness (his perfection, greatness and worth) that we can perceive and understand here on earth. Wow.

After understanding what God's glory is, my second question - why do we need to glorify God - quickly became not why but HOW? 

How can I, since we are called to "do all to the glory of God", dance for the glory of God -- or more importantly do anything for the glory of God?! How can anyone in our small, weak, imperfect human nature do anything even similar to God's perfection and holiness?

Reflecting His Glory

The passage from Leviticus 10:3 begins to explain the answer. We must be near to God. We must see his holiness, spend time with him, listen to him, and follow him. Then, we will begin to reflect his glory. Colossians. 3:17 explains it a little further: 


This command points it right to my heart. I'm cannot dance for me or for my own glory. I must dance in the name of the Lord Jesus by giving thanks to God through Christ! 

One of the most significant things that strikes me here is that I cannot begin to glorify God in my dancing with an ungrateful heart. My life is not my own. In order to obey this command, I have to remember and know in my heart that God created me with the talent to dance. He gave it to me, and through it I can glorify him!  

And There's More

God also wants all of us:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..." Col. 3:23

I must not simply have a thankful heart but a whole heart! When I dance I must give it my all. This can be especially difficult on days when I feel tired, or when I'm in pain. These things  challenge calls me to lean on Christ all the more for strength through prayer or even support from a friend. We cannot ask for this help if there is selfishness, pride or self-sufficiency causing division in our hearts. 

The Conclusion

Isaiah 6:3 says:


The whole earth is full of his glory. My challenge to you is to pray for eyes to see God's glory anywhere and everywhere. Seek to reflect God's glory by becoming closer to Him, being diligent to be near him. Look to see God's glory reflected in the other dancer's around you who shine God's glory. Be filled with thankfulness, and celebrate the wonder and goodness of our magnificent God. 

This post's author, Ms. Brette Benedict is a Lead Artist with the Ballet 5:8 professional company, and is the Ballet Mistress for Ballet 5:8's Trainee Program.