Change Your Tune or Singing a New Song

Do you ever find yourself humming a tune or singing a song for no reason?  For those of us who have a long history of music in our lives- it is so natural for us to fill the empty, to fill the quiet, with a song or a melody. I've found that as I am walking in the morning and praying that I have subconsciously started to sing in the back of my head.  (For Adri-this was pre ipod) It's like I have my own built in worship band.  I prefer to think that then that I'm loosing it.  LOL!  I have wondered why this is and as I've pondered it I've come  to the conclusion that its because over time I have "Changed My Tune."  My heart is singing a new song you could say- even in the midst of the trials and tribulations.  Even during the times of joy and praise...I've changed my tune and am singing with a new heart. 

At Bible Study on Wednesday, we had a time of worship before we got into our topic for the night.  We started by singing, "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever."  As we were singing, I was thinking...yes, this is really true.  I really could sing of Your love forever.  This is significant because there was a time when I only sang of things of the world. ie: secular music.  Don't misunderstand me- there are secular songs that are ok and have good messages-I'm referring to a time in my life when all I listened to was soft rock or popular music that had worldly influences in the lyrics and not Godly ones.  When I was a senior in High School, I gave my life and my heart to the Lord. I still listened to secular music but started to become exposed to the Christian music world.  In college, my exposure to Christian music increased even more but I still listened to secular radio.  In the middle of my college career, I got caught in a relationship that left me living on the fence of the secular and the Christian world.  There were times when I was living in the world and times when I was being a Christian.  As my relationship with God began to grow, I started switching the radio back and forth between secular and Christian, secular and Christian, secular and Christian.  This went on for a few years until one day I decided no more....no more switching stations.  I turned the dial on my stereo to the Christian station, left it there, and have never turned it back. I still lived in the world sometimes, but the influence of the Christian music and Christian programing began to grow in my heart.  God used something that I loved so much- music to begin the transformation process that I might give not only my life to Him in whole but also my heart. 

Eventually, I left my relationship behind and began to Change My Tune.  My heart was beginning to sing a new song- one that didn't resonate with the "world" that I was trying to live in before.

Now, years later,  I sing songs like "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever," and really mean it because my relationship with Him has grown so much.  You should know however, that "Tune Changes" or "New Songs" don't necessarily happen over night.  They require hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.  They require lots of prayer, lots of studying and chewing on the word.  For me, it also required dealing with the ramifications of my college relationship, with my dad's death and my lack of relationship with my mom. It also has also put me in a place of rest at various times- unwanted sabbaticals...but sabbaticals none the less.  (I will talk more about this in another blog.)  It may even cause some pain and grief in order to get to the joy and the praise. 

Is God calling you to Change Your Tune?   Is He wanting to give you a New Song?