So I’m going to try a little test. Today in Hermeneutics, we read about the materialistic rich man and talked a bit about that parable. It was very, very convicting.
Anyway, so I decided that I’m going to do a little test. I’ve done this before, but not since I’ve been at school. It is completely subjective and totally not scientific. I’m going to only listen to Christian music for one month. With the exception of “Eye of the Tiger”, because, well, you know. It’s my homework motivation music.
I got the idea while I was listening to my “camp” worship music. All the songs really come from Psalms. Along with that, I’ve been quoting Psalm 103 to myself all day, and it’s been so refreshing. I wished to myself that it would be great if I were always like this. Then I said “Why not?” I remembered in high school when I took breaks from listening to the radio and noticed that my intimacy with God improved. And again I said “Why not?”
Now I know that secular music does not send you to hell. I like music that isn’t directly labeled “Christian”. Some of my favorite music (Over the Rhine for example) is secular music made by Christians. But I notice that for me, when I listen to love songs, even sweet, appropriate ones, my mind often wanders to think about those boys I don’t have. And when I listen to rap songs, even the clean versions, I am reminded of videos with inappropriate scenes I shouldn’t see.
Back to what I started this blog post about. God’s been really convicting me about my materialism and how pop-culture oriented I am. I visit People.com 20 times a day, Entertainment Weekly at least once, besides all my blog reading, TWOP, CNN.com, Foxnews.com and the Yahoo! entertainment news page. My life is saturated with the world and that spills over into my belongings. Like the rich man in that parable, my mind is far from heavenly things. I spend money compulsively on THINGS, stuff that won’t satisfy me. In the back of my mind I believe the lies that if only I have a car or if only I have a good camera, then I’ll be happy. But that is not true!
Where is my eternal perspective? Where is the truth that I am not my own, I have been bought with a price? I am so easily taken by stuff when God is offering me abundant life! I am reminded of that CS Lewis quote I posted awhile back. It’s so true, and I feel like a fool for missing it for so long.
So nothing big. I’m just taking a break from secular music. I am “commanding my soul to praise God”. I’m going to take a break from visiting a few of these time-sucking websites. And I’m going to really meditate on what God is calling me to give up. Like Jesus said, “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Jaa mata,
Sarah
Tim said,
October 10, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Sarah, I’m encouraged by your committment to challenge yourself and the music you listen to. If you haven’t heard of Sons of Korah (http://www.sonsofkorah.com/) check them out. No, I don’t get any commission for mentioning them. I was greatly encouraged to hear them sing the Psalms.
tara said,
October 11, 2007 at 6:09 pm
I love it.
And I know just what you mean. I love that kind of music too. You always have great thoughts and insights.
V!rus said,
October 12, 2007 at 2:03 pm
love…love…
jennypo said,
October 14, 2007 at 4:02 am
I never tell people this, because they would think I was a freak for sure, but I was convicted about the spiritual power of music when I was a teenager. It’s not my style to withdraw from anything totally – just because I really believe we have to be relevant, not just “right”, but music (and TV, to some degree) has been the one big exception to that for me. I was convinced by the huge difference I noticed in my spiritual life when I quit listening to secular music (especially, it goes for any mental “food”). I attended public school, and a secular university, and most of my friends are non-Christians, so I am not advocating an all-Christian commune-type lifestyle, but it is true that what goes through the conscious mind ends up in the sub-conscious, and that affects everything else. It’s not an easy thing to do, but I’m 32 now, and I sure think it was worth it!
aaronivey.com said,
October 18, 2007 at 7:54 pm
hey cool thoughts.. thanks for visiting my blog. glad i could make you laugh in the library.. SHHHHH!!!!!