When you grow up in a small town in South Carolina, right in the middle of the Bible Belt, you learn a lot about how to be a “good Christian”. Follow the rules, go to church on a Sunday, don’t talk back to your parents, and “don’t listen to any of that rap music,” as my grandma used to say. I didn’t think much of it as a kid. I simply grew up thinking that worship music was more “holy” than regular music. However, if we think that listening to worship music is just about following rules and being a good Christian, then we have completely missed the point!

The truth is, there is nothing wrong with regular music. One of my all-time favourite things to do is to drive with the windows down in the summer listening to country music. However, there is just something about listening to worship music that grows our faith as Christians.

It’s a simple case of cause and effect. The more I listen to Taylor Swift, the more I think about breakups and boys and never ever ever getting back together. The more I listen to worship music, the more I think about God and, as a result, my faith grows.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Every day, we are faced we a choice: we can either feed our flesh, or we can feed our faith. In other words, we can focus on ourselves, or we can focus on God.

So what does this have to do with the music we listen to? Listening to worship music takes our focus away from ourselves and sets our eyes on God.  It feeds our faith and fights against our flesh!

God warns us in the Bible that sin is waging war against our soul (see 1 Peter 2:11). Because sin is waging war against our soul, we need to wage war against our sin! The best way to do this is by setting our focus on God. Listening to worship music helps us do that!

Joshua 1:8 says, “Keep this book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written it it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

So the next time you’re getting ready in the morning, sitting on a bus or a train on the way to work, or even driving with the windows down, try turning on some worship music! You might just find that it grows your faith.