Music: Worship or Not?

I have always loved music. I love singing (although I am not the best!), and you can always find me with my headphones on! For a while in my life, I listened to what most teenagers listen to, without thinking much about it. Then, (I'm actually not sure when this exactly happened) I started changing to Christian music. Now, before I go any farther, I do not want you to feel like I am bragging or telling you I am better than you because I listen to music about God. First of all, I certainly did not do it alone! God gently showed me radio stations that played music about Him, and songs that brought Him glory. He didn't give up on me, even though I did slip up once and go back to my old habits. But now I am completely satisfied with only listening to Christian music. You may be thinking, "Okay, but listen Noelle. Why is listening to music about God important? And how in the world would I only listen to Christian music!" Believe me, I hear you! First of all, in Psalm 33: 1-3 it says, "Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." For a while, I didn't really get that music is supposed to be used for praising the Lord; I thought it was just something to pass the time. But Jesus has revealed to me an important concept: it is breathtakingly amazing to worship Him. Not only that, it's fun! Now, if you are thinking, "Great, she is going to lecture us on how we should sing hymns that don't make sense all day long!" that is not what I am saying! Yes, I do love hymns, but there are also more modern songs that still praise the Lord! Once you find some you like, sing passionately at the top of your lungs to Jesus! (Trust me, He doesn't care if you can't sing!) Now that I have found the pure joy of singing to my Lord and praising Him, I honestly don't care about other songs! Jesus has led me to a deeper appreciation for His love through songs. He has shown me songs that tell exactly who He is, and I sing with delight over who He is and what He has done. I didn't just switch to Christian music over night; Jesus has been working on me for a while, showing me that the joy of praising Him is incredible.