Encouraging Application of Music

There are of course a massive and wide range of art forms and ways to apply them. I recently was blessed to hear a pastor friend of mine say he was using the REZ Band song "The Struggle" at the end of his Sun. message. What grace to have one of our songs used to encourage others to honesty, repentance where needed, and to stir people's thoughts, hearts and actions -toward- and not away from Jesus!

I've never been a fan of mere self-expression though I've never thought it wrong or usually (not always) even possible to avoid as a writer of lyrics, music, general writing or other art forms. At the same time at the cost of some likely judging me as "utilitarian" I do believe art at it's best affects people who listen, watch, view, experience and consider it, and I mean all art.

The beauty even of what some would count worthless or even ugly or at times confusing is that God has given people the ability to create. I don't believe all we create is somehow automatically sanctified, holy or useful for sharing, certainly not in public. Then again who of us including myself, is the righteous judge of all artwork??

May those artists of all art-modes reading this be encouraged to do inventory of what they'd best share in the wider, public spaces -and what is best left un-shared as well :)

One could say The Struggle relates to what I've written here as well!

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YJgbFmOrpA