To start off, I think it is best to give an example. Personally, music has quite the role in my own life as a Christian. Outside my studies as a Church Music/Music Education double major and my regular Church attendance I use music as a cure for the silence in my life. An example of this is playing music as I am doing homework, which I am doing as I am writing this blog. I can also vouch for many of my Christian brother and sisters that they use music in this same fashion. Another way music is used in the daily life of a Christian is that it is used for comfort, hope, and joy. Much like seeking comfort in the Word of God often we as Christians, especially in my generation, look for comfort in songs. As to why, I am not entirely sure but the best conclusion I can come up with is that we might feel drawn to listening to a particular song. It could be the melody, chord, the lyrics, or even a combination of all three aspects. Usually the song is, and excuse me for using this term as it is the best way to convey it to the public reader and I believe in no way that a song can be saved, a "Christian" song which usually is to describe a song that is either used for worship, created to praise God, or even to specifically reach out to Christians (or non-believers in addition). Though as I've been learning in my studies, I feel as though it is the Power of the Holy Spirit that is working within our hearts that creates this feeling of comfort, joy, and hope when we either listen or sing those songs. Then there are times where we seek silence, the absence of music. This can be during the occasion of meditation on God's Word and His Glory or during prayer. To which the silence is used represented as solemness and reverence toward God and that a person is devoted to take all distractions in his or her life to focus on the Living God.
These are my thoughts on the matter from my perspective and beliefs, but what does it mean on a Biblical level? Are these thoughts true/biblical and are there specific sections in which we are to use music outside of Church? Is it necessary to have silence in certain periods of the Christian life? What does the Word say about interacting with music outside of the regular worship service?
One of the first biblical examples that I will use is Act's 16: 23-26.
" (23)After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. (24) When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
(25) About midnight Paul
and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other
prisoners were listening to them. (26) Suddenly there was such a
violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once
all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose."
(New International Version)
" (23)After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. (24) When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Here we have an example of music outside of a regular church service. To give some background, this is in Acts which is an account of the ministry of the Apostle Paul. In this particular instance Paul and Silas were in Philippi and they were thrown in jail because Paul exorcised a spirit that was in a women that her owners were using to make profit. They were enraged that their income was halted so they accused Paul and Silas of making an uproar and they were arrested and put in jail. Now lets examine their position. They were wrongly accused of something they didn't do, they were severely punished physically, and the people they were administering to turned against them. In this position the normal person would be angry, cursing at the people, and distraught at all that is going on; however Paul and Silas chose to sing hymns and praises to God. This is probably a biblical example of our desire to sing praises or to listen to songs in times of struggle. Despite their position they are praising the Lord. It doesn't say for what reason specifically, but I would say for comfort and hope, or perhaps they are praising God for they are being persecuted for preaching. Or even they are using prayer and hymns to keep their focus on God. Many of these things can be debated, but regardless here are two Christians who are singing in troubling times to God; not to mention that this resulted in God granting them freedom from their chains, their cells, and the other prisoner's shackles and chains! Perhaps we sing these songs because, like Paul and Silas, we wholeheartedly believe that God will bring us comfort, hope,and freedom during times of high and low. Though what does it say about the use of silence?
Richard Foster in his book Celebration of Discipline speaks about the disciplines of solitude and silence: "If we are silent when we should speak, we are not living in the Discipline of silence. If we speak when we should be silent, we again miss the mark." In Ecclesiastes 3:7 it says: "there is a time to keep silence and a time to speak." Although this may be out of context to some, I think the same thing goes with music, especially in terms of worship which is the main use of music for Christians. There should be a time of worship with songs and praises, but then there are also times in which silence should be used. This can be in times of complete depression and distraught. However, this completely contradicts the story of Paul and Silas mentioned earlier so what is this difference? The main difference, I believe and interpret, is that it is a matter of the heart and of the soul rather than your physical displacement. Paul and Silas had burning hearts for God, this can easily be seen through their journeys and ministries. Whereas, if the heart and soul is in a place of brokenness then silence, especially silence before God, I think is a better action. Take the captives of Jerusalem for example in Psalm 137:1-6
1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.
These captors are those who were taken by the Babylonians after Jerusalem was destroyed. There are many interpretations as to what this passage means, but a common thought is that they choose not to worship because they were called to have a time of weeping and mourning. That their spirits and hearts would be too drained and distraught to be able perform praises to God. Another common thought is that the songs of Zion were sacred songs to God and should not be performed in a foreign land, therefore they are choosing silence to stay reverent to God. There is still quite some uncertainty to the passage, but I believe that there are times that we as Christians encounter that can render us unable to be able to worship. To where being in complete silence before God is worship as well. Jesus even did this several times. He searched for a place of solitude when He went to be with the Father.One example is seen when he was in Gethsemane in Matthew 26: 36-40.
All and all, I believe that these passages do support my thoughts on the role of music in a Christian's daily life. We use music and the absence of music as a means of communication with the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that dwells within our hearts that we are connected to the Father and the Son. Although I've only discerned that music continues to be used for worship in the daily life of a Christian, there are also other reasons such as entertainment for we are human. Though I argue that the primary role is worship, whether it be listening, singing, or even sitting in silence. It plays a vital role in our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for God uses all things to speak to us.
