Growing up, I’ve always loved music. Depending on who I’m with or what I feel now, I can mix it up. I have a genre for the little things I do daily. I put country music on when I want to have a deep base voice and express a little of my Texas side. Instrumental/soundtrack music is when I want my brain to wonder, escape from reality, and use my imagination. And my favorite genre is musicals! I love belting out a good dramatic, romantic note that technically I shouldn’t be hitting, probably, but when it’s just me and the vacuum, it doesn’t matter who’s around! I love that God created so many different kinds of sounds and tones of lyrics. When it comes to worship, I can’t pick a favorite song or artist, but I have a playlist I can put on whenever I need to reflect.
Lyrics have such power when we are still and listen. I love to sing to my heavenly father because whether it is in my range or not, He loves to hear me sing to Him. That is my first encouragement for this post. It doesn’t matter if you think you can sing or not. He has created us to worship, and He doesn’t matter what you sound like because it is coming from your heart, and if your heart posture is surrendered and only focused on Him, it won’t matter what’s happening on the outside of your voice.
The lyrics of our hearts change with our relationship with Christ. Sometimes, they are filled with hope and declare how wonderful He is, and other times, they are heavy burdened and need hope from Him through song. I think Psalms is a perfect book that describes how King David felt about God and that even though He was known to walk closely to God, there were trials and disappointments in his life that he wrote down. They were not worshiping and honoring God, but instead deep confession of the heart and how he needed God to intervene. Then, some of his writings were songs of who our God is and who He is every day, and we exhaust and sing the praise of gratitude. Worship expressed is from the heart, and the posture of our heart must be open and honest. That is the beauty of worship and singing, which we cannot sometimes express by just speaking.
Writing down lyrics from different artists sometimes helps me discern what God is trying to help me receive or process if I am struggling with a specific topic. I’m so grateful for the musicians who create notes, lyrics, and song titles that sometimes resonate with what I cannot write. My favorites are Kari Jobe, Anna Golden, Bethel Music, New Life Worship, and Jon Egan. The songs I can always go back to and listen to over and over again remind me that through it all, He is faithful in every season because, in my best and worst moments, I want to declare that He is no matter what turns may come in my path.
You Are For Me & I Am Not Alone-Kari Jobe
Take It to Jesus & PEACE-Anna Gold
Goodness of God & Raise a Hallelujah-Bethel Music
Be Thou Exalted & Here in your Presence-New Life Worship
Be Strong-Jon Egan
All these songs and so many more have given me such beautiful moments with the Lord, whether I’m singing to Him or He’s reminding me when I feel troubled. The artists have listened to the Holy Spirit and shared their hearts and stories through these songs so that we can experience God in this way. God has given us the blessing of using music and lyrics to praise Him. So many of these songs have inspired me to write about how I do things and have given me the vocabulary of who God is.
What are the lyrics of your heart?
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