Music can lift our spirits during troubled times
"I will submit and consent to a parable or proverb; to the music of a Lyre I will unfold my riddle my problem."
- Psalm 49:4 (AMP)
One of the fun things of summer is the community festivals and fairs. They are filled with attractions, rides and music.
The sound of music playing attracts both young and old. An upbeat tune has a way of transforming an ordinary event into extraordinary, because it lifts the spirits and makes our hearts feel a bit lighter.
Hearing the right song can heal our hurts and keep our dreams alive. I find when I turn on a lively tune, it chases my blues away. I recently started listening to some oldies I enjoyed in my past. Sometimes they remind me of times when I felt young and invincible, other times they just warm my heart with the memories of past dreams and desires.
When I go through troubles and need a boost of confidence, I listen to songs that speak to my heart about forming new attitudes filled with hope.
During their troubled times, many men and women in the Bible sang songs of their trust and devotion to God. Church hymns are full of melodies and lyrics that cause our spirits to soar. They bring encouragement and melt away our fears. Praising God frees our minds from our weaknesses and inabilities and turns us toward God, who has the ability to move our mountains with His mighty miracles.
The Psalmist mentioned that he found music to have problem-solving qualities. There have been a few times in my life when the lyrics of a song seemed to reveal the answer to a problem for me.
Other times, just listening to the right tune helped me relax to the point where my thoughts were filled with new concepts and answers I hadn't pondered before.
Have you ever noticed, on a down day, how the right tune can make you feel better? Even if it's only for the moment.
Music transcends every aspect of our lives. There's hardly an event that doesn't include some song. A parent gently rocks their newborn to sleep to the soothing sound of a lullaby. In appropriate work environments, music stirs creativity and increases productivity. As a bride walks down the aisle, she steps in time with the wedding march.
Ballgames and sporting events start with our national anthem. And what about the Cubs' famous "seventh inning stretch," when the whole stadium comes alive when the lyrics to "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" can be heard soaring through the stands at Wrigley Field.
God gave us the blessing of music to bring some enjoyment to our troubled souls. The healing qualities in our praises can actually strengthen our souls and heal a troubled heart.
When we need an emotional boost, we can follow the example set by the men and women of the Bible; their songs brought them through troubled times. So why not turn our voice to heaven and sing our blues away.
• Annettee Budzban is an author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She will be speaking Sept. 28 at the Women's Fall Gathering at Holy Cross Church in Cary. Women interested in attending should contact conventionchairman@wmlnid.org for details. She is available to speak to your church group, business, civic organization or be your personal life coach. She can be contacted at Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.