Is it wrong [spiritually] to be heavily focused on music?

[mystic]

I have been struggling for years now mainly with battling constant negative thoughts of all sorts of nonsense, thinking about what other people are doing wrong so maybe judging, batting lust e.t.c. Since by brain is ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder] it switches from one thought to another every few seconds which I guess allows all sorts of thoughts and topics to enter my mind.

Praying regular for help for years now asking the Holy Spirit to block out the constant negative thoughts has not worked in any way at all.

I have been noticing something for the past weeks though, whenever my mind is heavily focused on music, this blocks out the bad thoughts and also helps me prevent stress. I do make time for God regularly during different times of the day to speak to God so my thoughts now seems to be divided between God, my work and music but as mentioned the music seems to be taking up the majority of the thoughts and this is helping to prevent the bad thoughts from entering.

Is it wrong for me to purposely heavily focus on music just to help block out the bad thoughts?

[alon]

Oct 24, 2020 5:20:55 GMT -8 mystic said:

I have been struggling for years now mainly with battling constant negative thoughts of all sorts of nonsense, thinking about what other people are doing wrong so maybe judging, batting lust e.t.c. Since by brain is ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder] it switches from one thought to another every few seconds which I guess allows all sorts of thoughts and topics to enter my mind.

Praying regular for help for years now asking the Holy Spirit to block out the constant negative thoughts has not worked in any way at all.

I have been noticing something for the past weeks though, whenever my mind is heavily focused on music, this blocks out the bad thoughts and also helps me prevent stress. I do make time for God regularly during different times of the day to speak to God so my thoughts now seems to be divided between God, my work and music but as mentioned the music seems to be taking up the majority of the thoughts and this is helping to prevent the bad thoughts from entering.

Is it wrong for me to purposely heavily focus on music just to help block out the bad thoughts?

I'd say if focusing on music helps keep out bad thoughts, then purposely focusing on it would be a good thing. I guess I should qualify that by asking what kind ,or kinds of music? But if you've found something that works, run with it! Perhaps that is what the Ruach is wanting you to do. He'd know more about ADD than I would. Unless it's head bangin' heavy metal acid rock (or worse, rap!), I see no problem. Obviously Messianic music would be best, but use what works.

Don't feel bad that you cannot think of God every hour of the day. I can't do that either. Sadly when I need to quash bad thoughts, I just have to grit my teeth and git-it-done. I can only listen to so much music. But that (sort of) works for me. We're all different, and we all must just do what works for us.

Out of curiosity, is there anyone here who can think of God, or the things of God almost every waking hour?

Dan C   

[mystic]

Oct 24, 2020 5:36:53 GMT -8 alon said:

I'd say if focusing on music helps keep out bad thoughts, then purposely focusing on it would be a good thing. I guess I should qualify that by asking what kind ,or kinds of music? But if you've found something that works, run with it! Perhaps that is what the Ruach is wanting you to do. He'd know more about ADD than I would. Unless it's head bangin' heavy metal acid rock (or worse, rap!), I see no problem. Obviously Messianic music would be best, but use what works.

Don't feel bad that you cannot think of God every hour of the day. I can't do that either. Sadly when I need to quash bad thoughts, I just have to grit my teeth and git-it-done. I can only listen to so much music. But that (sort of) works for me. We're all different, and we all must just do what works for us.

Out of curiosity, is there anyone here who can think of God, or the things of God almost every waking hour?

Dan C   

I think that's what generally bothers me the most is that I cannot focus on Godly matters all day long. I normally do not listen to smut music but when I say focused on music I mean focusing on like my music equipment, changing it up, designing a different system always trying to improve on it. Since we are commanded not to focus on worldly things I guess that's what's worrying me with this but that is what's helping me prevent these constant bad thoughts.

[alon]

Oct 24, 2020 6:00:03 GMT -8 mystic said:

 
Here are some of the scriptures usually thought to tell us to shift our focus from worldly things to the things of God. Taken individually they may indeed seem to be telling us to think only of God. However as always, we must read them in context to get their full meaning:


2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV) 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Vs. 18a by itself might seem to be telling us we must look only at spiritual things, where in reality this entire passage is merely an encouragement to endure.


Colossians 3:1-8 (ESV) Put On the New Self 3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is [our] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming [upon the sons of disobedience]. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Vs. 2 taken out of context sounds like a commandment to think only of Godly things. However vss. 5 & 8 tell you specifically what kinds of things is meant here. It’s just telling us to clean up our minds. Vs 6 talks about God’s wrath on the sons of disobedience. And what are we to be obedient to? Where do we find God’s instructions for holy living? Torah. This basically is telling us to obey Torah and live in a manner pleasing to God and that is a good witness to others.


Matthew 6:19-24 (ESV) 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [mammon].

Sometimes used to say only think of God. But reading this I get more a sense of what our mindset should be overall. What our outlook should be towards life and others, as well as to God. But if you are providing a service, or training to do so, then to do less than concentrate on what you are doing and do the best job you can would be to cheat them. It would be like using false weights to measure gold. You seek excellence in setting up your sound equipment, which for you sounds like a kind of meditation but also develops traits you need in working on computer systems. I see nothing wrong in that unless it takes over your life and pushes God to the side.


Both these are demonstrated for us in the very beginning:

Genesis 3:4-6a (ESV) 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise [to give insight], she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Adam and Chava were tasked with care for the Garden and all creatures in it. That had to be a big job, and they did it well. So I would guess their minds were on their tasks while they worked. Now they walked with God every day in the evening, so I am guessing that whenever they got free time they thought on whatever He’d said to them.



We had some work done on the house a couple of years ago. The people we hired are thought of to be a bit weird around here. They are arch conservatives, they do a large family business of several brothers and sisters, and the whole family unit works. Even really small children did cleanup around construction, power tools, and it was winter so they contended with snow and ice as well. The parents never had to get after those kids to keep working! They all came in to work, and they did an excellent job! Their minds were on what they were doing.

They believe a bit differently, so I never interfered with their breaks. But they would all sit and one would read from the Bible, then they’d discuss it. I do think they did this because of the Godly atmosphere in my home as we all worked, because it was several days before they started doing this. But my guess is that they all spent more time thinking about the things of God than most, because they have developed the habit of doing so from childhood. They also laughed and joked, and conversed about other things. But it was not coarse humor nor foul language. No bragging of sexual prowess (or really bragging of any sort). That I think is what is meant in scripture. It is the best illustration I ever saw of this principle.

Adam and Chava lost sight of this. They allowed ha’satan to divert their attention, and they lusted for the knowledge of good and evil; which translated to the ability to decide for themselves what is right or wrong. They lusted for the world, and they got it, with all its problems, sin, disease, and unrelenting toil now in an environment not blessed by the Creator as the Garden was.



Romans 12:2 (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Don’t let the world shape your mind. And don’t let the church fathers shape it either! Forget what you were taught. Read every scripture in context; see what it is really saying. Allow the Ruach to shape your mind so that everything you do will reflect well on He who we serve.

Dan (still tryin' t' git there meself) C
    

[mystic]

Oct 24, 2020 18:56:40 GMT -8 alon said:

Dan (still tryin' t' git there meself) C
    

Thanks for all of those scriptures. As usual you've hit the nail on the head again. In one of my Mental Health groups we were discussing this very thing a couple days ago. Yes myself focusing on music issues is like meditating to me, it relaxes me and it does prevent bad thoughts from coming in, I just do not want it to take over my life.

Luckily making time for God at different times during the day has never been an issue for me. I envy people who can focus on God all day long like true God-fearing Priests/Ministers/Rabbis, wish I could be more like them but I just don't think I can ever be a Holy person because of the way my brain works.