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so many times i feel like i listen to my favorite songs so many times that when i'm in a slump and need to hear that inspirational line it kind of just falls into step with the other words in the song. i hate that. however, now is a time i really need that inspiration. y'all know that i'm a firm believer that God has a plan for all of us (Jeremiah 29:11) but recently i've moved home and i am searching for a job and i'm just so down because my plan is obviously differing from His. so anyway, whallago i was really just kinda sitting here (blasting my Christian music through those headphones) feeling down on myself and thinking about my life and just all kinds of negativity from my past, and the bad just started spiraling into worse, and i truly felt so alone in my state (especially since everyone else was asleep!)...and then the song i truly needed came on. now i've heard this one before..plenty of times...i know all of the words, but when i just cleared my mind and began to really listen to the lyrics, i was gripped with that feeling...the song was speaking to me. "Call My Name" by Third Day is just such a great reminder of the fact that God is there for us and he will always be there for us...we just call His name and He will be there. that simple truth brought me to my knees and i just starting rejoicing. here are some of the lyrics:
when you feel like you're alone in your sadness,
and it seems like no one in this whole world cares,
and you wanna get away from the madness,
you just call my name and I'll be there...
call my name, sing it now, I want you to NEVER doubt
the love I have for you is so alive!
you just call my name...
the love I have for you is so alive!
the love I have for you is so alive!
you just call my name...
you just call my name!
i encourage you to listen to this one! midway through i began apologizing to God. by letting the negativity and sadness get to me i was truly forgetting that He is here for me always. He is here for YOU always! His love is the best love. His love is unfailing. His love is so ALIVE! no matter when we call on Him, He will be here to comfort us with His perfect love. i like the "you just call my name and I'll be there" part because it reminds me of like when my grandma says, "oh you just make sure you let me know if you need anything..anything at all!"--like i have that assurance in the back of my mind that she will be there if i really need anything at any time. those lyrics were just so powerful in that moment that i know God placed that song in that spot on my play list because He knew it would speak to me and give me that little reminder that He is here for me whenever I need Him, no matter what. it's when i hear lyrics like these that i'm grateful that i really listen to what is being said as if it's a lesson for me to learn.
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i really enjoy writing these blogs because i like to talk (obviously), so i want to share one more lyric instance with ya! one song that initially struck me as absolutely great was "Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real. this song really gets me like every time i hear it. just read the lyrics below:
It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly
Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Revaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow your will
or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is you want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...
Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to to release all my held back tears
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time breathe in and let everything out
now earlier when i was in my negativity funk i was thinking about how i've held so many grudges over the past few years and about how they are just dragging me down. yesterday during my devotional i read a scripture about forgiveness and the devotional discussed that if we want forgiveness from God then we need to first forgive others. that kind of hit home, but when i was thinking about it whallago i was really just broken hearted. i realized that i preach forgiveness but i don't act forgiveness. those people who have really wronged me are those who i really haven't forgiven. how do i know? well when that person is brought up, i get this negative feeling about them even if the subject matter is positive. the devil likes to creep up and attack that way. i hate it. so, per usual, listening to a song like "Whatever You're Doing" was just perfect because it provided the unsolicited guidance i needed -- Jenny: "am i doing everything to follow Your will, God...really?" God: "it's time for healing, Jenny, time to move on, time to make right what has been wrong" Jenny: "i believe You're up to something bigger than me...i'm giving in to something heavenly" SOOO, as before, i know the Lord put "Whatever You're Doing" on my music path because i desperately need(ed) to hear the message in Sanctus Real's lyrics. how sneaky, huh? He likes to work in mysterious ways!
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you may think it's silly, or you may understand where i'm coming from because it has happened to you. either way, i hope that either words inspired by the Lord (music) or words directly from the Lord (scripture) will speak volumes to you in such a way that it moves you like it moves me. this blog entry was not meant to discredit the way the Lord speaks to me in scripture vs. music because i guarantee that scripture impacts me and changes my heart in ways that i never could imagine. God's word is a precious life source that will change your life if you allow it to! however, sometimes i just get caught in these music moods and i really do hear the message those 8 words in that line are trying to convey. my prayer is that i will continue to be reminded of God's promises, even if it is by means of repeating words i've sung 100 times over. ultimately i pray that i wont forget those promises and that i can share His sweet messages with others who need to hear them too.
