Express Yourself!

As a musician I love to use my creative gifts God gave me to express how I feel, from time to time the Lord blesses me with a happy song; sometimes the songs are a bit more sober in nature and content. Either way music is an important outlet for me to show people how I feel. Many people have referred to me as an emotional robot; they label me this because I don’t cry much on movies or books. For me personally I don’t cry on those things while, yes they are sad, they are still movies, or people portraying people i.e. make believe. However this label is something that I am okay with, it’s how God made me because I express my emotion through song and if one pays attention can see the opening of my heart.

King David was the very same way, read the Psalms and you will see him and his heart wide open literally an open book for the entire world to see. He held nothing back, the good, the bad, and the ugly flowed out of him. As a musician and writer I really get David and I can really appreciate his openness. Few musicians come to a place of total honest in their lyrics and music and it’s something I seek to obtain. I admire David because he came to that place of open honest. Unashamed, he wept like a baby and wrote a song about it.

Something I have learned in all of this is we each have our own outlet, our own way of expressing our emotions. God gave us this because emotions and feelings are a part of who we are. It is what Christ has placed in us and to deny yourself the expression of your feelings is denying a part of something God created in you. Express your love to God in the way He made you. If you write, write, if you draw, draw, if you sing, sing, if you craft, craft, whatever way you know how never deny yourself the emotions God gave you. The only stipulation we are given in scripture that I recall is to use our emotions within the context of the Holy Spirit which is a spirit of self control.

I express my emotion through song and if one pays attention can see the opening of my heart.

Thank you for expressing yourself in your post, mguldner. I am a musician too, and yes, music can be an effective medium for emotional expression. Of course, most of my music involves participation with others. But, also, I find that music incorporates much more than my own immediate emotions. For example I share in the emotional experience of the song writer - the pain expressed in songs that may not be my own pain at the moment. Or I share in the emotion that is inherent in the style of the music. I am thinking of Bartok’s Romanian Dances which incorporates a wide range of dance styles – all expressing emotions and life experiences in a culture that is not my own.

King David … held nothing back, the good, the bad, and the ugly flowed out of him.

mguldner , some day you may enjoy doing a study on the various emotional expressions in scripture and examine what elicited those emotions. For example I think of Joseph who wept when he saw his long lost brothers. His tears were undoubtedly a mixture of grief for a sad past, but also joy for a happy reunion and the fulfillment of God’s promises to his family. There are approximately 9 references to his tears during this time. Yet why were there no reference to his tears and his inner turmoil at the time he was sold into slavery or thrown in jail? (!)

Of course emotions can be worked up and serve to hide oneself from inner truthfulness. Yet as you note, they do tell a lot about what is going on in a person. What do your emotions as expressed in song tell you about yourself, your identity with the experiences of others and so forth?

Happy, cheerful, songful blessings to you,

Diane

Awesome words Sis!

I have been blessed with new songs and right now my life is in the midst of a storm but here recently the Lord gave me this chorus.

"You are my comfort,
my shield when the darkness falls.
And though I may feel like I'm drowning
You hold me tight and keep me warm!"

through this storm God has proven to be my refuge and my hiding place. He has comforted me and brought me to His peace that pass understanding.

I would love to do a study about emotional expression found in scripture. :) I have been camping in the Psalms because for the most part I relate so well to what David writes. Something that I definitely believe as a singer and songwriter is by being open with the listener you are giving them a very special gift, it's a part of you and something that your going through or your lyrics can touch their heart and through your song they can receive healing and encouragement.

I plan on recording and posting youtube videos of my songs and covers of other songs on my youtube account in hopes of doing just that, encouraging people through song.

God Bless,
Matthew

"You are my comfort,
my shield when the darkness falls.
And though I may feel like I'm drowning
You hold me tight and keep me warm!"

Beautiful words Matthew! I trust that God will use you to bless many through your music and through your own spiritual journey of faith with him,

Diane