Radio Silence

I've never really been much of a one for listening to the radio. With the exception of a few months listening to UCB as I applied for jobs last year, the radio hasn't really ever been a part of my life. But over the past couple of months I have been listening to it fairly constantly in my car. There's a combination of reasons why - the traffic reports are helpful when you are driving around 200 miles a week for work, it feels oddly like having company because you hear familiar voices chatting and when they mention things they've talked about previously you feel sort of like part of a community, and the reason I switched it on in the first place: I had got downright bored of the CD's in my car.

Before long I had picked up the lyrics to most of the tunes that are in the charts and would sing away without even thinking twice. I am pretty much always singing in my car. And when it's CD's that are playing, the vast majority of what I'm singing is worship music. But singing along to the songs in the charts is a hugely different kettle of fish. And it's only this week that I've really realised what I've been singing along to. And in turn have made the connection as to why I have been feeling pretty rotten and far from God.

"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

It's pretty safe to say that when your mind is full of the lyrics to the songs that are at the top of the charts at the moment that the vast majority of what is in your mind is not noble or right or pure or lovely or admirable.

Right before Paul writes this, he tells the church in Philippi to "rejoice always" and he tells them that in doing this and bringing everything before God in prayer and petition with thanksgiving that we will be filled with peace.

Lightbulb moment. Part of the cause of the anxiety I have been struggling with lately is tied up in what I have been letting occupy my mind.

With this revelation in mind, I made a conscious effort yesterday to switch the radio off and get a worship CD back on. If I'm honest, I don't feel any huge change yet. But God is good. Always. And He is always worthy of our praise. And as I allow the truth of His goodness to occupy my mind again I know that my heart will be renewed too.