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Take a Music Break

5/23/2014

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Take a Music Break

“14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit (or an evil spirit) that filled him with depression and fear.

15 Some of Saul’s servants said to him, “A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again.”

17 “All right,” Saul said. “Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here.”

18 One of the servants said to Saul, “One of Jesse’s sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the Lord is with him.”

19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, “Send me your son David, the shepherd.” 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine.

21 So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer.

22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, “Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him.”

23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.”  (1 Sam. 16:14-23, New Living Translation)

In our world today, many of us deal with bouts of depression, fear and anxiety.  Anxiety is a reaction of fear whether it is real or imagined.  In my practice I deal with many people who are troubled with these issues and are looking for that magic pill that will take this away.  I wish there was such a thing, but unfortunately, there is not, but God tells us a way that we can deal with these times in our life and that is listening to music.  The key component is this Scripture that may be missed is that it was not any music, but music played by David, whom the Lord was with. 

Today’s Christian contemporary music provides various genres and styles of music, a type and style for any event in your life.  What is important about these artists is that they are Spirit filled.  They are singing stories that are real and praises to our Lord that are uplifting and inspiring.  May people shun this music, even though it has grown in popularity in the past few years, without giving it a chance and spending time listening to it.  I will often challenge my patients who are dealing with issues of anxiety and depression to take one week and listen to only Spirit filled music.  Music that praises our Lord, that tell stories of His saving grace and how people have been rescued through their faith and trust in Him.  This challenge is meant to allow us to experience the power of music to soothe the soul, when it is Spirit filled music.

There are different types of Christian music, and one has to find an artist or genre that fits their taste, but we also have to be careful to play something that is appropriate for the mood we are facing.  We don’t want to play a tear jerker if we are already depressed and we also don’t want to play an up tempo song if we are trying to relax.  It is amazing the difference that people feel when they accept this challenge and follow it for a week.  They each find that it soothes their soul, releases the tormenting spirit that is bothering them and helps them to reconnect with God and His everlasting love and grace.

We have long been told and it has been proven that music can soothe the soul, but if it is not Spirit filled, is it really healing our condition or just helping us to push in down further in our soul only to come back another day.  When the music is Spirit filled, it can truly chase that tormenting spirit away and out of your mind and body.  It opens your heart and allows your heart to take over your body and bring peace to your soul that eliminates those bouts of depression and anxiety.  With our technology today, music is only an app away on our phones and ear buds are easily kept in our pockets.  There is no reason to not utilize what has been provided for us, to help us in those times of darkness that we will all experience.

So next time you find yourself in that darkness of depression or the turmoil of anxiety, take a music break, but not any kind of music break, take a Spirit filled music break.  I believe that you will find that this may be all you need to bring you out of your darkness and soothe you from your anxiety.  God showed us in the verses above how David was able to soothe Saul and this was at a time when Saul was not following God and God’s Spirit had left him.  God’s spirit can work for all of us, but we must first be open to letting Him in.



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I Refuse

9/6/2013

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"I Refuse" by Josh Wilson

         
   Over the past few years I have become a fan of contemporary Christian music. This is not to say that I have given up the old hymns and Psalms that I’ve learned and saying as a youth.  The hymns and Psalms will always be a special form of worship for me but today’s contemporary Christian music brings a message that is understood by today’s people and especially the youth of today. Many of these songs speak of the situations where are Christian values should stand out amongst the people throughout our group of friends and colleagues that we see on a day to day basis. There is one song in particular that was recently released by Josh Wilson that has brought a special meaning to me. That song is called “I Refuse”.

            In the world that we live in today it is so easy to pacify someone who is suffering by just saying the words “I’ll be praying for you”, and then walk away without ever remembering to pray for that individual. We have also become accustomed to look for others to do the jobs that we should be doing, that Christ calls us to do. Many churches struggle today because people do not get involved because I believe it is someone else’s “job” to perform that particular duty. This song by Josh Wilson ties in with this message as well as with my own personal transformation that the Lord has been working on in me for the last six years.

            It was six years ago that I came to realize that many people have forgotten how to reach out to one another, how to pray for one another, and how to care for one another. We are so busy with our own individual lives that we do not have time or do not take time to be the Christian we should be and that is to show Christ’s love in all that we do. In his song, one set of the lyrics is written:

“Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes, And act like everyone's alright When I know they're not This world needs God, but it's easier to stand and watch I could pray a prayer and just move on Like nothing's wrong.”

This is what I’m referring to when I made the comment about saying that we will pray for someone when in reality we don’t. If an individual is asking you to pray for them, why do we not stop right there and then, and pray for them? Why is it that we have to pray for them later that day when it is convenient for us? When Christ was approached by sinners who needed prayer and healing did he say I will pray for you and continue walking or did he stop what he was doing and heal or pray for the individual that ask? If we are to be Christ like, we must “refuse” to continue what culture has taught us to do and stop and pray for that individual immediately and continually until their prayers are heard.

            Another section of the song which is actually the chorus states:

“I don't want to live like I don't care, I don't want to say another empty prayer, Oh, I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else, To do what God has called me to do myself, I could choose not to move, But I refuse”

This particular course is what has resonated with me. For the last six years I have chosen to follow what Christ is calling me to do instead of what I think I should do. As the lyrics say, I don’t want to live like I don’t care anymore, I don’t want to say another empty prayer, and I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself. I have committed my life to working with those who deal with addiction problems as well as children who are living in homes with parents who are dealing with addiction problems. I gave up a career that paid well here on earth for one that is building me treasures in heaven. I believe we can all learn from these particular lyrics that have been written in this song. We all need to wake up from the daze we are in due to our busy lifestyle, open our eyes to our surroundings, open our hearts to the Lord’s will and then reach out to those who have been reaching for our help that we have been too busy to notice.

            Another section of the song’s lyrics also speak volumes in what we need to be doing today as Christians. The lyrics state:

“I refuse to stand and watch the weary and lost cry out for help. I refuse to turn my back and try and act like all is well. I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself. I refuse to make one more excuse.”

The key words here are “I refuse to stay unchanged, to wait another day to die to myself”. Each day we must die to our self and take up our cross and follow Christ. This is the direction that he gave us in Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (ESV). The lyrics also state the refusal to continue to make excuses. We have become a society of excuse makers so that we may follow and fulfill our own self-centered needs instead of the needs of others. We often will look down on others instead of humbling ourselves to help meet the needs of those that are “weary and lost” crying out for help.

            It is songs such as this that I pray will have an impact on people and that it will open their soul to the needs of others instead of keeping the gift that God has given them.  Just as the song says, I refuse to sit back and watch someone else do what God has called me to do. I make the same challenge to you as you listen to the song and read the lyrics on the video that I have linked to this blog in hopes that it will at least cause you to look at the actions of your current lifestyle and whether or not you are building a life with earthly treasures for only yourself or are you helping to increase the kingdom of God and in doing so building up heavenly treasures.


 


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    After spending 27 years working in retail, customer service and human resources, I realized that the majority of my days were spent counseling others.  I returned to school and received my bachelors degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling and have obtained a Master's degree in Pastoral Counseling/Marriage and Family Therapy. I am a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor through  the  American Association of Christian Counselors and the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors.  I am licensed as a minister of Pastoral Counseling and an ordained minister through the National Association of Christian Ministers.


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