Tag: Inspiration
Writing Music with CAIN
Trio shares how God’s Word inspires creativity
We are all created in the image of God and given the ability to create. Whether it’s through music, art, writing or other forms of expression, we have the power to communicate and inspire others with our creative work.
CAIN, a contemporary Christian music group, recently discussed their songwriting process in an interview with Family Life Radio. They explained that their songs are initially created with the intention of being successful and catchy, but they also aim to make them encouraging ministry tools. CAIN notes their music becomes personal and ministers to themselves as they create it.
“He’s calling you to walk out of the dark.” Taylor said, referring to the lyrics of their song “Rise Up,” which encourages listeners to seek God’s help in difficult times. The trio believe God gives them ideas and bits of inspiration for their music, and they strive to ensure that their songs are scripturally founded and able to point to Scripture. “The crazy thing is God uses our own music because while “Rise Up” was happening, we were stuck at home. We couldn’t go anywhere. We couldn’t play this song for you. I just had to sit there and sing it. There were a lot of times when you don’t feel like you’re in a dark place when you write [the song] and then all of a sudden, you’re like, Man, I need to minister to myself using the words that we came up with.
Madison agreed, “It’s extremely personal to you. God gives you bits, like ‘The Commission.’ That’s one of our songs. Taylor came in and was like, what about – Go tell the world about me. It just starts there, but how cool is it that as we were all in the synergy of us talking about the Great Commission. And the song has grown into something that we never intended to,” Madison interjected, highlighting how God can inspire and guide creative processes in unexpected ways.
As Christians, we too have a responsibility to use our creative abilities to inspire and minister to others. The Bible tells us that we are called to use our gifts and talents to serve others and bring glory to God. In 1 Peter 4:10-11, it says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (NIV).
When we create with the intention of serving and ministering to others, we are using our gifts and talents to bring glory to God. It’s important to remember that our creative work is not just about us and our own success, but about how it can impact others and bring them closer to God.
“One pillar about us and the music we make is it has to be scripturally founded,” Logan shared. “You have to be able to point this to Scripture. And so I believe the Holy Spirit has people in mind who are thinking about suicide. The Holy Spirit knows, and so we are just trying to tether it to Scripture and allow scripture to do the work.”
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16 NIV). When we use Scripture in our creative work, we are allowing the message of Christ to dwell richly among us and inspire and minister to others.
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God’s Comfort in the Midst of Pain and Loss
Anne Wilson talks about God’s how Christian music helps
Anne Wilson, a contemporary Christian music artist, understands firsthand the power of music in times of grief and loss. In an interview with Family Life Radio, she shared her personal story of finding comfort in a song by Mercy Me after her brother’s tragic death in 2017.
Two or three days after his car accident, as Anne and her family were on the way to look at the truck and see the damage, they stopped to get a drink at fast food restaurant. It was then she says, they turned on Christian radio for the first time since he had passed away. Anne said, “We heard a song. It was by Mercy Me. We had never heard it before, and that was our family’s moment of ‘WOW!’”
The perfect song at the right time became the moment in which Anne and her family let go of their anger and frustration. “We decided to just fully commit ourselves to the Lord and the plans He had with this loss,” Anne explained. “Christian radio has such a big impact on people. There’s going to be these moments where people are going to hear a song. It hits them and speaks to them at the perfect moment.”
Music has the ability to touch our souls and speak to us in ways that words alone cannot.
As a Christ follower, your faith journey can be filled with moments of joy and pain. Whether you are struggling with doubts, navigating trauma or seeking a deeper connection with God, it is important to remember that you are not alone. By focusing on music and an intentional pursuit of God, you can find comfort, healing and renewed faith in even the most difficult of circumstances.
Through music, we can offer our praise and worship to God and find comfort and peace in His presence, especially in those times when we feel disconnected from God or are struggling with faith and trauma. In those particular moments, Anne suggests the intentional pursuit of God as a way to find our way back to Him. In the interview, she shared, “You have to also intentionally spend time with him … And if I’m feeling disconnected or I’m struggling through faith or whatever it is, I’m like, Lord, would you help my heart to understand more? Would you help me to understand what it is that I’m walking through? And then I always find out, by the end of the time with Him, my heart has been softened by Him, and I’m back in connection with Him.”
James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (ESV). Through prayer, meditation and reading the Bible, we can intentionally seek God’s presence and guidance in our lives. In Psalm 63:1-8, David writes, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water … My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night” (ESV).
God is always present and willing to meet you where you are, even in moments of doubt or frustration. Anne reminds us “it’s not about a proper prayer or coming to Him in a certain way at a certain time. It’s a conversation just like you would with any other person. It’s having a conversation with God.”
God desires a personal relationship with you, one that is built on honesty, vulnerability and genuine conversation. In Psalm 34:18, the psalmist writes, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (ESV). God meets you in your brokenness and offers you comfort and healing.
Jesus invites you to come to Him with your burdens, saying, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (ESV).
Your pursuit of God and intentional relationship with Him could be a source of inspiration and comfort for others who may be struggling. When you feel overwhelmed, you can turn to God and find rest in His loving arms.
Want more? Check out our on demand resources
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Family Life Radio is listener supported. Those who listen give to make the music and content possible to shine God’s love, peace and encouragement into hearts, revealing truths that direct people in the way they should go.
If you feel led to give a gift today to help others draw strength, gain wisdom and experience peace through Family Life Radio click here.