Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

This weekend as I drove my grandsons around running errands or picking them up from school, I located a local Christian radio station because I know the power of music to help penetrate the heart for good.

In the passage above, Paul notes the importance of the word of God in transforming the human heart and part of his encouragement involved the truth found in the word of God expressed in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

Growing up, music was instrumental in my spiritual growth. Keith Green was one of the most influential artists to me and I often said that he could speak more truth in a three-minute song than most pastors could preach in a thirty-minute (or longer) sermon. His music did much of what Paul writes about in the verse above. Some songs provide instruction or inspiration and others remind us of God’s grace.

Songs communicate the stories of life. Certain songs may stir up memories and inspire us. Warren Wiersbe echoed the ability of music to reach us at a deeper level –

“I am convinced that congregations learn more theology (good and bad) from the songs they sing than from the sermons they hear. Many sermons are doctrinally sound and contain a fair amount of biblical information, but they lack that necessary emotional content that gets hold of the listener’s heart. Music, however, reaches the mind and the heart at the same time. It has power to touch and move the emotions, and for that reason can become a wonderful tool in the hands of the Spirit.”

Don’t underestimate the power of music in your life. Paul recognized the power of (spiritual) music and song to help build our faith. Remember that music is a gift from God, intended to build us up.

Today I look for songs and music that deepen my trust in God, put my anxieties in perspective, and renew my hope. Take some time to listen to something that encourages your walk with Christ today.