I don't think many realize how vital our content is, whether you consume a lot of television or social media, the content matters. Compared to long ago, there are many channels that we can be entertained by today. We've got Full HD television, music in surround sound, multiple social networks, digital magazines, and ebooks... plenty of stuff to laugh at and be distracted with!
However, I think music tops them all. Music is that piece of entertainment that goes beyond enjoyment. Music is more than instruments sounding together, it's a psychological outlet for most people. It's a rhythmic soundwave that ministers to our subconscious. It's scientifically proven to alter moods and emotions. If music has the power to alter how we feel, then that means it has the power to influence our thoughts and behaviors.
Many of us have read or even quoted the scripture, Proverbs 23:7, "as a man thinks in his heart so is he". And it's parallel, "Guard your heart above all else, for from it flows the issues (springs) of life." - Proverbs 4:23. The Good News Translation says, "Guard your thoughts, for they determine the course of your life." Have you seen these scriptures in action?
Let's take an assessment, say you listen to a romantic R&B song, and suddenly you feel in love. Or maybe you listen to a melancholy track from Billie Elish and now you feel somber or withdrawn (at least that's how she makes me feel sometimes). Ever notice those times when you're sad and lonely, you might gravitate towards sad songs? Or... let's take it in a different direction. Maybe it's not music, say you watch something on tv or hear a funny phrase and you form habits based on what you've seen and heard. Think about those times the media influenced how you thought and what you did.
Idk why, but music and media content have always been a passionate matter to me. Even before salvation, I oftentimes would wonder why the rappers were so rude and vulgar towards women. But, I'd keep right on listening because the beat was hitting so well. How ignorant! Just because it sounds good doesn't mean I should listen to it. For years, I've dealt with insecurity and damaged self-esteem because of what I heard.
Not only was I taunted in school and at home for how skinny I was, but the music also told me that a man wouldn't want me unless I was thick. I needed a huge butt to be loved for real. Because I bought the lie the devil sold me, I struggled to believe that I was worth looking at. I would try to wear clothes that made me look bigger and fuller. This is a real example of how thoughts become things.
And how do thoughts form? By outside influences and channels that infiltrate our thought patterns.
In order for me to change my behavior and become confident, I had to start with my thoughts. I had to see what was influencing them. What was the root? Was it the misogynistic lyrics that I loved to hear? Or was it the constant taunting that I was too skinny and needed to gain weight? I'd say both. Both were channels in my life that needed to be changed. I can't control what other people say about me, but I can control what I believe about myself and what I will accept.
Around the third year of my salvation, I got heavier into Christian Hip-Hop and Contemporary Christian Music. That's why I decided to start a personal Spotify playlist in 2016. I spent hours working at a desk job and we were allowed to listen to music. So I would just binge Christian artists that I hadn't heard and any song that made me feel confident as a woman, I added it to my playlist. This made me excited to get to work lol. The music really started to minister to me and helped me see that I was so precious to God. I didn't have to look a certain way to feel loved, I was deeply loved already before I even had a frame. (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:15)
This was such a great experience for me that I had an idea, I couldn't keep this transformation private. I changed the name of my playlist to Modest Music because I figured someday I'd be able to share this with a group of women. I have some great songs by artists like KB, Mali Music, Priscilla Renea, even Beyonce for the BeeHive fans. I am pleased to be able to release this playlist and I pray it blesses you to be confident, bold, and beautiful as you already are in God's eyes. See below for how to submit music!
Are You An Artist or A Fan Who Wants To Submit A Song?
My plans for this playlist are to have some female and male Christian Artists come and share their stories and inspiration for music with us. Their music should be heard and there are so many women who wish they could be bold and confident. But it must start with changing our habits and choices! Click here to share with us!
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