Am I Spreading Music…or Noise?

by Edie Melson

I love listening to praise music—recorded or live. It can send my soul soaring as I reconnect with the healing truth that comes only from God. It also anchors that truth in my brain in a way that few other mediums can do. When I hear truth sung, I recall it quicker when a situation arises, even when I don’t feel like singing.

However, a few months ago I had a different musical experience. Sitting in the audience at a familiar venue, I was excited to see a new group make their way on stage. They began strong—great blend, super instrumentals, and an engaging stage presence. Then things began slide downhill. It became obvious they were having trouble hearing each other. The resulting discordant notes sent zigzags of pain along my auditory nerves. On top of that, the drummer and the lead singer were out of sync just enough to make the song jarring instead of inspiring. The crowd around me begin to shuffle uncomfortably, and I watched the audience disconnect.

As I stood there, waiting for the band to recover, God whispered a truth in my soul. This is how My message misses connection when you’re not staying in sync with me.

The thought shook me to the core.

With clarity, I could see that this was a perfect picture of how the world perceives our Christian message when we’re not following God’s path. When we refuse to let the love of Jesus shine through every part of our lives, no matter the circumstances, our message becomes nothing more than jarring discordance.

Reacting in hurt and anger, lashing out at others pulls me out of sync with God. When I don’t listen to God’s prompting, I’m disobedient, and that leads to further disharmony. God’s message no longer rings pure and beautiful, instead it causes those around me to cover their ears and move away from the noise. Instead of reaching out to a hurting world, I end up driving them farther from the truth of God.

That was a lot to chew on.

By the end of the set, the band had fixed the issues and the songs were amazing. As they got back in sync, the audience once again focused in on the music. The earlier issues were forgotten as we engaged with the soaring harmonies and uplifting notes.

Just like me. There are times when God’s message is marred by my lack of sync with Him. But when I return to His beat, the past is forgotten and the truth shines through.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV

 About the author: Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, whether she’s addressing parents, military families, readers of fiction or writers. As an author, blogger, and speaker, she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her latest book, While My Child is Away; Prayers for While We’re Apart is available at local retailers and online. Connect with her further at www.EdieMelson.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

Free Book Contest!  Arise Daily will use a random number generator to pick a winner from today’s comments. To enter our contest for Edie’s book, While My Child is Away,  please comment below.  By posting in our comments, you are giving us permission to share your name if you win!  If you have an outside the US mailing address, your prize could be substituted with an e-book of our choice.

Join the conversation: What helps you to stay in sync with God?