No Molly Popping Over Here!
So here I am to challenge you and to get down to the stuff that we don’t really want to hear...
Our music choices...
So I used to be a big Kanye and Jay-Z fan (many of you are like “Yeah, that’s hard to believe...”). I used to be hardcore, I had EVERY album and felt like I was a music connoisseur. I KNEW my music. From Lupe to Coldplay, Azealia Banks to Frank Ocean, Rihanna to The Doors, then back to Bob Marley again... I was a MUSIC LOVER!! However, God convicted me one day on the thing I loved so much.
Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.
God challenged me to consider if my music was any of these things... I IGNORED THE CONVICTION!! I had found an idol. My music.
God kept showing me myself in different ways. I would go to parties and hear songs that obviously went against everything I believed (or pretended to believe back then), and I would refuse to dance. These songs included “Tipdrill”, “Back That Thang Up”, and any song that Drake has ever made in life. God would ask me how songs like "Flashing Lights" and "Christian Dior Denim Flow" were any different from those I would turn my nose up at. I felt better about them because they were “lyrically beautiful and reflected the human experience”. Even worse, I continued to make excuses for my music.... Oh its about love, God created love... Oh its about a mistake, God knows we make those... Oh I don’t know what it’s about, God doesn’t care.
I kept arguing with myself and had endless discourses in my mind about music. (I'm not crazy)
Yes. My music contained endless cursing.
But I don’t curse though... Because I’m Christian! haha!
Yes. Some of the music I listened to was created by people who glorified doing drugs.
But I don’t do drugs though...Because I’m Christian! haha!
Yes. Some of the music glorified sex and doing these same drugs.
But I don’t have sex or do the bad drugs... Because I’m Christian! haha!
Yes. The music I listened to was kind of mindless.
But I am intelligent... See? I go to school and stuff. haha!
Yes. Some of my music could have been talking about killing off small children and I wouldn’t have noticed.
But I don’t kill off small children?
Yes. The people that made my music have disrespected Jesus in every way possible. They would have been the ones spitting on him as he was carrying the cross to die for them.
But I am a Christian?
It began to get crazier and crazier. I began to see myself doing some of the things that the music I listened to glorified. I soon became the girl who would dance to those songs, even the ones I used to hate. (I pray that most of you have not done the crazy things that I have, but if you have, no worries. ALL is forgiven and we thank God for deliverance.) I began to feel the way that the rappers felt about relationships. I began to live that “YOLO” life. The verse below became true for me in the form of music!
Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...
The crazy thing about it is that I didn’t realize the effects the music had on me until after I rededicated my life to Christ. I used to say things like “Oh music doesn’t affect me! I can listen to what I want to and it won’t affect me in any way.” FALSE! There is no way anyone can listen to a song over and over and over without pondering on the lyrics and trying to associate them with his or her life (Don’t believe me? Remember how brainwashing works.) It WILL have an effect.
So here is the challenge... Does our music reflect what we believe? If we are Christians and our lives revolve around the fact that Jesus died so we could be free of sin... Does our music reflect that? Do our tv show choices reflect that? Or do they make us lean toward saying things like... “Maybe this [insert sin that Jesus was nailed to the cross for here] isn’t so bad...”
Does our music reinforce our beliefs? For example... Are we listening to music all day that emphasizes that our appearances are everything? Or are you listening to songs that reinforce the importance of your heart and having the fruits of the spirit? That’s what the bible says right? God sees your heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
Are we listening to songs that talk about being delivered from sin and being sober because the devil is like a roaring lion, ready to pounce... or are we listening to songs that tell us to “Pop Mollies” and do other drugs and perspire heavily because of these drugs... Because that’s godly... Nope! (1 Peter 5:8)
This is the exact equivalent of freed slaves listening to songs about being slaves again... constantly... and dancing to them. Yay slavery? No. Harsh, I know... but remember, we were slaves to sin (Romans 6:20)! There was no way out of it! This is NOT a metaphor. We were literally slaves.
How can we go from worshipping God to songs like “Take Me to the King” then get in the car and listen to anything that encourages us to commit adultery? How can we claim Christian, yet listen to the music that the world makes and justify our reasons for listening to it. We know that being friends with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).... WE DON’T WANT THAT!!
This just lines up with the question of the year: How can we be Christians, yet look like the world?
Romans 12:1-2 Do NOT be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
So... as far as our media/music choices... I am not saying everything is bad and we should just be hermits and be under rocks. I am saying we are the be in this world, but not of it.
So I beseech thee therefore brethren and sisteren (I know it’s not a word),
Lift your media choices, ALL OF THEM, up to God. Tell him that you wish to glorify him in ALL that you do and you will not keep any area of your life from him. Ask him what you should be listening to and filling your mind with. If he says to let go of Chris Brown... or Beyonce... or Rihanna... or Coldplay... or the Doors... Or Mary Mary... or Lecrae... Or Scandal... Praise God, He corrects those he loves. If he doesn’t... Praise God. However, don’t ignore conviction like I did. Allow him to cleanse you of ALL unrighteousness and make you what he wants you to be. Remember that God knows you better than you know yourself and that he has music for you that you will love that will draw you closer to him and not push you away. Trust Him.
I have a personal testimony about this... So when I rededicated my life to Christ, I started feeling conviction about my music. I deleted it. ALL OF IT!! None of it was about Jesus, so I didn’t want it. *Shrugs*
The music was replaced with Christian music of every kind... From Christian blues to Christian go-go (genre that originated in D.C.) I have it all! However, the music that I was most hurt over were my Coldplay albums. I used to love them!! My favorite band, by far. I lifted it up to God... I asked him to give me some music that would replace it. I was really in distress about it for a couple of days. Then, I was perusing iTunes one day and noticed that Hillsong United had a new album. I listened to “Up in Arms” and tears came to my eyes. It was amazing! It was everything I had in Coldplay but 100000 times better because it was all about Jesus!! Hillsong United had never made an album before like that one and I was completely shocked. God had answered my prayer in a marvelous fashion. That’s why I say that that album was made especially for me. I love him for it.
I love you guys!
Lise, A4C
P.S. So I don’t want anyone to think that this only applies to music that is worldly. God knows what he wants for you and from you. Ask HIM what you should be listening to. Work things out with him. There is some music that God doesn’t allow me to listen to that is PERFECTLY Christian. For instance, if there is music that makes me think about my past so much that I begin to fall into my old ways... but it is Christian music... It might not be for me. I trust God to let me know. I trust Holy Spirit to scream in my ear to turn it off... He has done it many times before.
P.P.S. Remember that everyone's convictions are not the same... Meaning that God might not have told me what he told you about music. Ask God what he wants YOU to listen to. If you feel like you aren't hearing anything from him.. remember that he speaks through his Word sometimes, and start by removing anything that BLATANTLY goes against God. He will guide you from there.
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