Sing Your Troubles Away!
I confess that I love music. All kinds of music, maybe not opera and rap, but most music can improve my mood. I can be in the middle of a rotten day, and the right song comes on the radio, and I feel better. It’s hard to dance and feel down. It’s hard to smile and be depressed; and you can’t think about God’s blessings and worry at the same time. Max Lucado said, “No one can pray and worry at the same time.” and I agree with him, but I would also say “No one can worry and sing at the same time.” At least I can’t.
For me, singing to the Lord is a form of prayer and worship. There are many forms of prayer; constant, reverent praying on our knees, the soft quiet prayers made at night for a restful sleep, and prayers that are made while singing. Worship songs that share our feelings and worries, and our blessings are a great way to pray to Jesus. Ephesians 5:19 tells us to,
“Speak to one another with Psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
My heart soars when I listen and sing along to music. Whether you have a voice made for the stage or one that is made more for the stagecoach that is leaving town, God loves to hear it. We need to remember that when we sing, we are singing to an audience of ONE, HIM. Don’t worry what others may think if they hear you, we have been told to “Speak to one another with Psalms, hymns, and songs” Psalm 49:4 says to
“Sing to Him, sing praise to Him, tell of all His wonderful acts”
By singing we let the Lord know that we see all the blessings He has given us. Even on our worst of days, Jesus is there with us. I found a hymn called “All Your Anxiety” it was written by the composer: Edward H. Joy. He was an officer and musician in the Salvation Army in England, and in 1920 he wrote this hymn as an encourager to meet God through prayer and a way to cast your cares right where they belong. The hymn says:
Is there a heart o’er-bound by sorrow? Is there a life weighed down by care? Come to the cross–each burden bearing, All your anxiety, leave it there.
(Chorus) All your anxiety, all your care, Bring to the mercy seat–leave it there; Never a burden He cannot bear, Never a friend like Jesus!
No other friend so swift to help you; No other friend so quick to hear.
No other place to leave your burden; No other one to hear your prayer.
Come then at once–delay no longer! Heed His entreaty kind and sweet; You need not fear a disappointment–You shall find peace at the mercy seat.
Edward Joy lived up to his name by writing such a joyful song, he certainly knew the strength of words and music to help us in tough times. The chorus is a powerful mantra we should all repeat. “All of our anxiety, all of our cares, bring them to the mercy seat, and leave them there!”