Did you take music lessons as a child? Did you sing in the school choir or play in the band or orchestra? Does music fill your home daily, drowning out the noise in your head?
There’s something to that, you know. Researchers have found that music uniquely fills our minds, when certain characteristics are present. Even better, when we sing aloud, it’s a particularly unique experience because our body, thoughts, and emotions connect in the process.
Thought replacement through praise interruptions
You know those moments when anxious thoughts bubble to the surface? We need to replace those thoughts with the Word of God. Thought replacement! As I read His words: “practice,” “stop and consider,” “let not,” and “mind is stayed,” I am struck with the intentionality of this process and how it influences our actions and responses to His Word.
Yes, loving Father, You know it would help us to practice this skill daily, just like a music student.
But it’s not drudgery of Hanon exercises or scales and arpeggios with perfect fingering. No, it’s joy-full, peace-producing activity of the Lord, by the Lord, and through the Lord! It’s Christ-exalting delight and joy!
Let’s “practice” thought replacement together, beloved in Christ! Let’s “stop and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14 ESV). What greater and more glorious work has God done than the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, His beautiful gift of immeasurable grace to us?
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:6-7 ESV).
Will you join me in a praise interruption, replacing anxious thoughts by singing to Jesus, our priceless treasure? Let’s enter into Scripture and song!
Jesus, Priceless Treasure (Franck, J., 1655)
Jesus, You are my priceless treasure and You keep me in perfect peace
Jesus, priceless treasure, source of purest pleasure, truest Friend to me.
In thine arms I rest me; foes who would molest me cannot reach me here.
Jesus, priceless treasure, You are with me always
Though the earth be shaking, ev’ry heart be quaking, Jesus calms my fear.
Lightnings flash and thunders crash;
Yet, though sin and hell assail me, Jesus will not fail me.
You are worthy of my praise, great and powerful Lord
World, thou shalt not harm me nor thy threats alarm me while I sing of peace.
God’s great pow’r guards ev’ry hour;
earth and all its depths adore him, silent bow before him.
I praise You for Your saving and atoning work for me, Lamb of God
Ah, how long in anguish shall my spirit languish, yearning, Lord, for thee?
Thine I am, O spotless Lamb!
Hence, all fear and sadness! For the Lord of gladness, Jesus, enters in.
Yea, whate’er I here must bear, thou art still my purest pleasure, Jesus, priceless treasure.
Those who love the Father, though the storms may gather, still have peace within.
Selah, pause and calmly think of that.
Sometimes our thoughts are so loud and full of self that it can be difficult to drown their noise. So often, our thoughts reveal our sin; we need to repent and turn away from them, replacing them. In these moments, we can speak His Word aloud and sing Scriptural songs aloud.
Embodying His Word by singing His Word helps us to cast off and release our burdened and sinful thoughts. I remember lying in hospital beds, unable to read. Scriptural songs and Scriptures captured in my heart were His active tools in drowning out my deepest fear, helping me to repent and believe His Word into deep suffering.
This week’s playlist is filled with songs to aid our hearts and minds in literally memorizing Scripture while singing to Jesus, our priceless treasure. If it would bless you to use this playlist, sign up below and you’ll receive it in your email!
