Be Careful in the Music You Choose

Many people will tell you that you should watch what you listen to because it can cloud your mind and harden your heart. That is because music is a very powerful tool that is used throughout the Bible and history.

Music has the ability to change your mood and affect your heart rate. Songs can spark memories, which is why they are used in commercials. These emotions are what advertisers use to get your attention, but it is also, what Satan uses to tempt you.

Power of Music

Whether we choose to believe it or not, music has a lot of power over our daily life. Scriptures tell us that we can turn to music to deal with daily challenges and worship our Heavenly Father. Music is used as therapy in a professional setting, as well as in spas for relaxation. The American Music Therapy Association has established the connection that music has on our physical, emotional, and mental needs. They have also shown that music helps with social environments.

Tones & Lyrics

The tone of music will influence emotions as well. In Exodus when Moses came down with the tablets, he heard singing. Joshua thought the noise was the sound of war. Socrates talked about how music has a way to make the soul feel differently. You can see the proof of this by listening to different types of music and note how they make you feel. Classical music will bring peaceful emotions, while hard rock will raise your blood pressure and heart rate. The effect that music has on you is not controllable, except to limit what type of music you allow your ears to hear.

You will also notice that many songs repeat certain lyrics and that is because it will become imprinted on the mind of the listener. Consider how you teach children their ABCs and nursery rhymes. If you are singing and listening to Spiritual music, those lyrics will be with you at all times.

Scriptures Regarding Music

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. – Colossians 3:16

The music you listen to will affect your life. It will affect the decisions you make and the thoughts you think. When you listen to music in church, the songs are designed to bring forth the Spirit of the Lord. There are many disagreements on the type of music that should be played during a church service. I will tell you my personal opinion is to have the Hymns in church and the "revival" or "pop" music reserved for other occasions. I am not saying that it is wrong to do otherwise, as jubilant music is played throughout scripture. I am just saying it is not my preference to have that type of music played when preparing to hear a lesson the Lord has prepared for me.

Be diligent in the thoughts and emotions you expose yourself to. Things that you may not think about, may be the ones that affect you more than you know.