Christian music. Let's talk about this topic because it's a big one. With worship music changing and advancing lately, there has been a debate about what music actually belongs in the church or what music is even Christian music. Many new (and some old!) Christian bands are emerging with a different sound than what typical church-goers are accustomed to hearing.
These genres include EDM, rock, rap, indie, and even R&B sounds, and all of them appeal to individuals in different ways. But worship doesn't only occur on Sundays; it should happen all of the time. Psalm 71:8 says "My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long." Worship is a lifestyle and it should be lived out every single day. Just as the psalmist says in Psalm 42:1, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."
Our hearts should daily long for God, and this shows that we are living a lifestyle of worship. Just as the psalmist did, we should worship constantly, and many of us listen to music constantly whether it be while driving, studying, cooking, cleaning, or anything! Many in the younger generations enjoy different forms of music than those older than them, just as older generations listen to music differently than those younger than them.
And this is not a bad thing! If the lyrics biblically sound, any genre of Christian music is an awesome outlet for worship. However, it's important that the music you are listening to is biblical, even if it is marketed as a Christian song. When listening to music, you can notice many things, but one thing that will always stick out are the lyrics.
What are the lyrics portraying? Are they messages of praise to the Heavenly King? Or are the lyrics that are negative and don't build you up? Your music matters, and if you think it doesn't affect the way you live, you may just be wrong. Colossians 3:2 tells us to "set our mind on things above, not earthly things," and most secular music is definitely not pertaining to a thing from above.
It is a command in the Bible to worship God, and it's also a command to focus on the Him, and music is a great outlet for putting yourself in a worshipful mood and for focusing on Jesus. Next time you flip on the radio, I'm not telling you to turn on K-love (unless that's your style!), but I am asking you to think about what music is on the radio and maybe consider finding a Christian alternative for your favorite secular bands if you feel your music is bringing you down.
Music can be many things, but it always speaks to the soul which is why it is so important that Christians guard their hearts on what they are listening to daily. You may be thinking "This all sounds good, but there's no way that there's Christian music to suit my music taste."
And I get it because I felt like this in the past, but a simple Google search of "Christian bands like (insert favorite band here)" will produce so many results, and once you find one Christian band you like, it will be much easier to find more! So if you've been feeling weighed down by your current music, give Christian music another shot, and I'm sure you'll be blessed through it.