When worship music isn’t

    I used worship music to alter my state of being.

    And it was used to control me.

    If the pastor wanted us to love others more, he played (for the 33^rd time) Brandon Heath’s “Give Me Your Eyes.” Can you see that woman crossing the street? Brandon’s eyes as he coolly regards the world?

    Worship music was not about worship. It was about manipulating me into a certain state of being.

    If I was down, I used it to pump me up. If I was up, I used it to get me higher.

The church found worship music useful too. It could pump us up or break us down. I did it when I preached–picked a video to drive home the point, punch up a sermon meant to move men.

Hearts wept at videos awash with music meant to pierce and crack open shells.

    We no longer needed to wait on the conviction of the Holy Spirit…we only had to turn up the volume.

    Week after week after week.

    The Spirit won, praise God! I got sick of it. I never wanted to watch another video again! No more hype, no more manipulation, no control. I wanted the silent breath of the living God. And I got it.

    Freedom fell the day I finally hit the off button on the car radio, silencing the No. 1 hit in today’s Christian music! (Why did we even have ratings for what is supposed to be worship? Why do we like songs and elevate artists if it is about worshipping our Creator?)

    Silence, quiet, stillness.

No more masking with noise in the name of religion.

    Now, I could hear what was raging inside, what was crying, what needed the touch of my Maker. I could invite Him in and trust Him to heal me, lead me, lift or sift me, as needed.

    I didn’t run.

    I was not being manipulated.

    I was being met and cleansed and loved.

    Healed, even.

    Nothing manmade required.

Advertisement