What Moves Us To Our Feet

    Music is what moves us to our feet. It is energizing, it is motivating, it is powerful. The power of music and the mix of voices and instrumental sounds coming from the beating of a drum or the chords on a piano or guitar creates a beautiful, beautiful sound. It's amazing what such a mixture can do. It's amazing how this mixture of sounds, called music, is so prevalent in the lives of people and so motivational and powerful in all that we do.

   God created us with a heartbeat. He was the Creator of rhythm, He was the Creator of sound, and He most certainly was the Creator of music. Thus I believe that His purposes for music are good, and that He loves when His purposes are honored.

   First, I want to say that this topic is a decision that you need to make based on what God reveals to your heart, not what I or other Christians say. Certain choices are a matter of conviction and while some decisions are good for some people, the same decisions may not be for others.

   I absolutely love Christian music. In fact, I am a huge music lover. I could listen to music all day, every day. I would go to every Christian music concert out there if I could. I have a passion for music that continuously grows and grows.

   But most of all, I believe in the power of what we hear and what we listen to. I know that the words we consistently put in our ear and the music that moves us to our feet and whose lyrics won't get out of our head will significantly impact our thoughts and therefore our actions and our beliefs. Thus, I believe that God is pleased when we monitor our music choices and limit ourselves to music that is positive, good, and most of all, glorifying to Him.

   As Christians, we are not supposed to be like the rest of the world. We are called to be different. We are called to live a new life, a life that no longer rests in our sins but in the grace and love of Jesus. That might mean cutting off some of the activities of the world and replacing them with things that lead us closer to Christ. It means that rather partaking in what pleases the flesh, there will be so much gain and so much happiness as a result of seeking to please and glorify God.  

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31

   I'm not saying that you should only listen to "Christian" music. The question is: are your music choices pleasing to God? Obviously, worship pleases Him. In fact, God loves when we use music to praise Him.

Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. Psalm 147:7

   But that doesn't mean any kind of regular music, whether it's pop, country, or whatever kind of genre, is bad. That is a personal decision and conviction that is placed on your heart and is between you and God. But whether you decide to listen to  regular music or just limit yourself to Christian radio, run every song through the Philippians 4:8 test. The question is not: "Is this song "Christian?". Songs aren't Christians; rather, we are Christians when we choose to follow Jesus. Instead, we should ask: "Is this song true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy? Does this cheer me up, or bring me down? Does this glorify God?" 

   Honestly, it's not a matter of whether a song is "Christian" or not. It's a matter of whether the song is leading you closer to God or farther away, the ultimate test for every decision we make. Songs that uplift, that inspire and encourage, will motivate you and impact you for the better. Positivity will not just impact your mood, but your entire thought process. It impacts your heart, and therefore the decisions you make. When lyrics like, "I am strong, beautiful, I am good enough" (Blanca) or "No matter what you face, His mercy will not change, He's with you all the way" (MercyMe), are constantly in your ear, the motivation that such words can bring to your heart and your mind is huge. 

   I am not condemning any artist, song, or music style. If you are a Christ follower, every decision should be based on what the Holy Spirit reveals to your heart, not what other people think or say. What is good for some people is not good for others. While I am a huge 'Christian' music fan, and limit myself to purely Christian music, that doesn't mean that is the 'right' way of doing things. The Bible doesn't specify exactly what genre we should listen to.  But I know that once I started listening, I could never go back. Music that is positive, uplifting, and God-glorifying is what encourages me daily. If you have never checked out Christian radio, I highly encourage you to do so!

The question is: do your music choices pass the Philippians 4:8 test? Do they bring you closer to Jesus, or farther away?