A Pleasant Combination

I started learning about music rather late in life. Most musicians begin when they’re kids, but not me. It took a series of hard seasons that allowed me to use music as a balm for my broken heart. Well into my 30s, I’m beginning to study a bit about singing in harmony. Though I am not as skillful as I like to believe I am, I have learned a few valuable lessons in listening. 

I’m not well-trained in the matter, but here is a simple explanation that applies to singing in harmony. According to the collinsdictionary.com harmony is “the pleasant combination of different notes of music played at the same time.” So basically, there is a main melody in a song that is sung, in most cases, two are other melodies that can go above or below the main one. Singing in harmony requires a lot of listening and practice. When we are listening to the main melody to figure out the harmonious notes we must sing, we sort of dance around it, being careful not to stray from the pattern the lead voice has set. It can be a bit complicated at first, but when done well, it can be beautiful.

Lately, I have been going through another tough and unpleasant season. So many things are just happening out of the blue, making it hard for me to harmonize in pitch to the song God has been writing in my life. Making it far too easy to stray from His lead. Almost to the point of not singing at all. Anxiety can be paralyzing. I’m sure you can relate. But when we don’t follow, it’s so difficult to get that beautiful, pleasant sound, isn’t it?

So what do we do?

We listen…

               Carefully listen to what He is doing in the now, even the smallest details. Sometimes when I’m singing with friends and I lose my melody line, I focus on the other harmony, it makes the way to go a bit clearer. It’s the same with life. The Body of Christ can be such a powerful instrument in God’s hands to strengthen us when we are weak. We can join in the melody dance when we know the one who leads us.

I love how The Message phrases Philippians 4:6-9.

6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

               So let’s pray, listen, and sing with joy because His grace surpasses our trials.