A little over fourteen years ago, I gave my heart and life to Christ Jesus. It wasn’t the first time I had accepted Christ as my savior, but this time was different because my heart posture was different. I didn’t accept Him as my savior as a “safety net” or out of fear of hell like the times before, but rather, I accepted Him as my savior out of love. For the first time in my life, I truly recognized my need for Him, and I longed for Him to be in my life. I wanted Him to change my life, and I wanted to live for Him.
As I learned to walk with Him, He brought to my attention things that needed to change and things that needed to be removed from my life so that I could grow more in relationship with Him. One of those was the music I listened to. I had always enjoyed all kinds of music from all sorts of genres, but as I began to listen to some of the CDs I had, I no longer had a desire to listen to them. Now these were not CDs with explicit lyrics (I never liked those), but rather these were CDs that merely suggested things that no longer had a place in my life. Others were reminders of times in my life when I wasn’t living for the Lord, times that I would rather put behind me.
Despite the money spent on them, I threw many of them in the trash. Others, depending on what they were, I gave away. I no longer desired to listen to them. I only wanted more of my savior. I began listening to worship music and “Christian” music instead. With the exception of a few mainstream instrumental artists, I haven’t listened to mainstream music since. It’s become too vile, too suggestive, too reinforcing of sin being ok and acceptable.
But sin is NOT ok, especially in the life of a believer. Christ didn’t die to pay for our sins so that we could keep on sinning. He died to bring us back into right relationship with our creator. So why then, would we want to listen to lyrics or watch movies that promote sin as being acceptable?
What we listen to and what we watch MATTERS. Think about it... Music and movies are designed to entertain us. The very definition of “entertainment” is “the action of providing or being provided with amusement or enjoyment.” Should a Christian be amused by or enjoy things that promote sin?
I used to measure what I listened to or watched by whether or not it had cuss words in it, but now, as my walk with the Lord has grown closer, I’m even more selective. Does what I'm watching or listening to glorify the demonic, promiscuity, or make fun of things that are Holy?
If you are a Christian and are amused or entertained by sin-filled music or movies, it’s time to pause and have a conversation with the Lord as to why. If you aren’t heeding the prompting of the Holy Spirit who is warning you against listening to and/or watching these things, that’s a problem. You are grieving the Holy Spirit and inhibiting the work God wants to do in your life.
If you no longer feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit when you start to watch or listen to these things, then that’s an even bigger problem, because your spiritual hearing has become dull. Repent and allow Him to do a work of restoration within you, and heed those promptings in the future.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to "guard our hearts above all else, for it determines the course of our lives." What we allow ourselves to see and hear saturates our thinking and begins to affect our hearts and minds.
“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”
– Psalm 119:37
“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”
– Psalm 101:3
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness. Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.”
– Luke 11:33-36 (ESV)
Most Christians at some point, myself included, have allowed things in their lives that don’t belong. I’ve had to repent of entertainment choices and in other areas of my life as well, and what I can tell you is that Jesus is worth it! He’s worth everything that He calls us to give up!
The life lived for Christ is far more fulfilling and exciting than anything this world has to offer. He has dreams for you that you can’t even begin to imagine! Things you would have never thought possible! But you have to be all in. You must surrender to His will in your life, and your choices of entertainment is just one of those areas that warrants a serious review. Ask Him to reveal to you if your entertainment choices are pleasing to Him. In many cases you can probably answer the question without Him even telling you. Next, take action and make the change! You will never regret living a life that honors Him!
