Redefining Celebration

Joyful Rebellion

Travel back through your memory to the best party you've ever been invited to. What were you celebrating? What was the day like—the food, the music, the guests, the atmosphere?

Now recall a day where you got some bad news or faced an unmet expectation. What was that day like? Did it bear any resemblance to that awesome party?

When the hardest times hit, celebration can seem frivolous or foolish. Could anything seem sillier than a festive brunch spread when the cancer diagnosis comes or popping champagne after the pink slip?

What if we could see celebration as a form of worship—a necessary, life-giving acknowledgment of God’s goodness? When we are surrendered to the great Author of our stories, our worship doesn’t depend on the happy ending. We no longer celebrate desired outcomes. Now we celebrate God’s provision, power, and presence in the process. We’re not minimizing the pain, but we are making much of the Healer. We can joyfully rebel against fear when we gather together, put out the fine china, and feast in good faith that the famine won’t last forever.