The Taizé Experience

A few weeks ago, as part of my course, I went to the Taizé community in France. It was a week I was looking forward to and had been building up to for quite some time! However when I got there my expectations of the place were completely different to what was actually there.

I struggled at first with the change from home comforts to living in a monastic community but my view was challenged as I realised that I was not there to have a comfortable time, I was there to be challenged and to grow.

Throughout the week there were highs and lows but it definitely got better as the week went by. Whilst I was there my whole attitude about worship and expecting God to move was completely challenged and changed. At first the worship seemed so strange and uncomfortable to me yet as the week went buy and I learnt more about the different aspects of everything I began to connect in worship and felt the presence of God working in ways I did not go into believing I would experience.

Growing up I have always been taught about God's majesty and sung so many songs declaring the majesty of God, yet it was only at Taizé that I came to really understand what this meant. It was here that it was revealed to me how majestic God is and how worthy God is of our praise and adoration.

One of the largest challenges has been returning back to normal life knowing I have been changed and challenged but thrown in at the deep end and taking what I have gained from the week away and putting it into practice. There will be times when I forget or slip up but there is always a chance to start again! x