Article April 7, 2014 Issue

Shining on stage

Stephen Hanlin

Two years ago, I starred in my high school’s spring production of Crazy for You as Bobby Child, the rich banker who meets the girl of his dreams and falls madly in love. As opening night approached, the rehearsals went longer and longer, and although I felt more and more prepared for the role, I started to feel nervous about performing. This feeling of nervousness persisted through the rehearsals, and strengthened as opening night got closer and closer.

I tried to calm my nerves with what must have been a thousand different thoughts. “It’ll be all right, Stephen!” I told myself. I felt I had the right motives for performing—not to show off or feed my own ego, but to express God as Soul and bring joy to the audience. “You’ve done the work,” I reminded myself. “The performance is just the demonstration; the fulfillment of all the hard work and dedication you’ve put in.” I also tried to remember that God is the one performing, as Jesus pointed out when he remarked, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19). I needed to get myself out of the way and simply let God’s goodness shine through me.

All I needed to do was just be still and affirm God’s omnipotence and control.