"Arms High & Heart Abandoned"

(my Hillsong London concert experience)

It was truly a spirit-filled night, more than 25,000+ people worshipping the King of all Kings in one place. Even with the rain pouring down and our phones do not have any reception, none of us moved from where we stood. At that moment, every inconvenience do not matter anymore because for us, what's more important is that we are able to lift our voices and praise the Name of Jesus.

The night began with a long walk toward the venue. As soon as I noticed groups of people; most of whom are teenagers heading in the same path, I hurriedly picked up my pace and joined them. As we arrive at the gates, I saw that the concert grounds were literally just an open lot with barricades to separate the different ticket holders. Food stalls were located on each corners of the place and at the center stood the massive stage. I was able to find my seat with no hassle thanks to the security and ushers that were present, helpful, and approachable.

As I explored the place, I realized that this was far from any ordinary worship event. Imagining thousands of people from different churches gathering together for one sacred purpose still amazes me. As I wait for the show to begin, I prepared my heart and allowed myself to just be open to whatever God had in store for me that night.

When the opening act began, I felt an instant swell of pride because the band onstage came from our own Catholic community. But more than the songs that they shared to the audience, it was a beautiful reminder that even if we express our faith differently, we remain united under one Name.

After their set, we waited for Hillsong London to step on. A technical delay stretched the wait by more than twenty minutes, but no one complained. When the intro video played, excitement rippled through the crowd. Their opening song, “The Stand,” immediately solidifies the reason why we are there.

A few minutes have passed, upbeat songs began to play. We danced, jumped and all of a sudden, fireworks burst into the sky, creating a magical moment that felt almost unreal, one that I’ll never forget.

Song after song filled the night. And then “Good Grace” started. We barely finished the first verse when gentle drizzle began to fall. I pulled up my hoodie and opened my umbrella, but what struck me most was the crowd. No one left. No one made a big fuss out of it. Instead of getting frustrated, I saw joy written on their faces. And for me, I believe that the rain didn’t feel like any annoyance at all— it felt like a blessing.

The night ended with us drenched from the rain and our shoes stained with mud, but our hearts were full, our spirits renewed, and our faith strengthened. No matter what we face, this concert reminded us that whatever we are going through, we have Jesus — the One who has already overcome.

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