Music

I’ve always loved music. When I was younger I used to listen to it on my Mum’s iPod all the time; I’d get in the car anticipating the fun I was bound to have listening to it during the ride. When I was nine years old, I got my own iPod, a hot pink iPod nano and it was practically the best day of my life. Finally, I could listen to my own music whenever I wanted to! That iPod and I were inseparable, on the way to school, on the way back, in the shower, and when I was studying - I was always listening to music. It became a comfort for me and I played all my favourite songs on repeat. As I got older though, I was faced with different kinds of music than I was used to. As a kid, I was under the impression that the music on my Mum’s iPod was all there was to it, so as I discovered more, I was surprised and a little unnerved at the stark contrast. However, it was music all the same so I thought nothing of it. It was only recently that I realised the effect that music has had, and has, on me.

As time progressed, I became convicted about the kind of music I was listening to. I had begun to take for granted some of the subject matter in my music, thinking profanity and lyrics full of vulgar content were normal. I thought, “If no one else thinks it’s a problem I guess it’s not that big a deal”. But something I’ve realised on my walk with God is that different things convict different people and God knows the specific ways He speaks to His children. He knows what He created each of us for and if we base the way we live on others instead of God’s will then we will pay dearly for our disobedience, not them. For a while, I tried to ignore it. After all, without music, what would I do? I had become so dependent on it, when I was happy I’d listen to an upbeat playlist, if I was sad or upset or anxious, I’d play the music that reflected how I felt.

Eventually, I came to a crossroads, either follow God and give up the music or give up God and listen to the music. For too long, I tried to keep God “at bay”, listening to the same old songs but only the clean versions or dabbling in both gospel and worldly music - it was tiring. James 3:10-12 (NIV) says, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” In my heart, I knew that I couldn’t go on the way I was. Of course, the devil came up with every reason why I shouldn’t do what I felt God telling me, “Do you really think you can give it up? You listen to music almost all day what do you think you’re doing?” Or worse, “You're going to disappoint God so badly if you go back to worldly music, you know you can’t quit.” I felt a terror seize my heart every time I even thought of giving it up but worse was the idea of never having a genuine relationship with God because I didn’t have enough self-control to relinquish something that was making me miserable. If you think about it, God created music. He gives people talent, and He’s the one that allows music to speak to us and touch our hearts, there is nothing too great for Him. So I obeyed, and once I did it was so easy. Once you put yourself in the LORD’s hands, He is more than capable to take care of you. I didn’t need a plan of action detailing how I was going to keep from backsliding into sin, I just had to trust Him. So I did.

I say all this because I know what a big influence music has on today's youth. It’s ingrained in our culture and many people love it and have been listening to it for as long as they can remember. I know that it may not seem like a big deal and you might think that the music you listen to doesn’t affect your relationship with God, but the Bible shows us how Saul’s struggle with the devil’s forces was eradicated as soon as David began playing God’s praises on his harp, something that the worldly minstrels and musicians couldn’t do. Music is an incredibly powerful spiritual tool and it is a scheme of the devil to make you think otherwise. Any media that doesn’t glorify the LORD’s name or conflicts with your values should have no place in your life because, inevitably, you will either have to renounce it or renounce God. As alarming as that may sound it’s the truth. It’s important to face this reality head-on and with God’s grace so He can keep you from falling into temptation and sin. I urge you to evaluate your music and the message it is proclaiming, is it for or against God’s standards?