Music...we have a love/hate relationship

I absolutely love music...all genres of music. I enjoy listening to music and I enjoy singing as well. (definitely not the best, but I enjoy doing it.) Music is very emotional. One song can make me happy, hyper, excited, lifted up; and the next song can make me cry, sad, emotional, burdened.

Why does music make us feel this way?

Studies have shown that when we listen to music, our brains release dopamine. Typically, our brains release dopamine during behavior that's essential to survival. This makes sense — it's an adaptation that encourages us to do more of these behaviors.

Music that has been studied, rehearsed, listened to and practiced can sound so beautiful. Take the video above as an example...this group was performing at the Redlands Bowl last night. They were simply amazing. You could tell that they have worked together, practiced together, rehearsed multiple times and have come together, ready to perform, giving 100%! I loved just sitting and listening to them sing!

Music also has the ability to make us cringe, make us want to immediately shut off the song, run out of the room, get out of the car...anything to make the song go away! Have you ever been anywhere and heard a group sing and you just close your eyes, begging the song to be over??

Music can bring calmness and peace to a room or it can bring excitement and happiness; it can bring a group together - like in a church service, bringing in praise and worship, gratitude and thanksgiving; and music can also bring us to tears. Crying can be provoked by grief, as at a funeral when the perfect song is sung, but can also be a sign of extreme happiness, like at a wedding when you see your son and his new bride walking down the aisle. If we're talking about church music, it can bring us to tears because of gratefulness, worship or remorse for sins committed.

I reference church in this blog post because our church music department is where I am involved.

When I think about the emotional impact that music has on everyone (especially at church), I have to ask myself a few questions when I am on the schedule to sing:

• Have I practiced the songs I'm going to sing so that I am not a hinderance to whomever is listening to the music?

• Am I giving my all so that the people listening will feel the emotions in the song I'm singing?

• What can I do to continually better myself to glorify God?

If we know and realize how much music has an affect on others, why wouldn't we want to give our all when we are singing?

I read a quote recently that said "Worship through music is an incredible privilege, not a religious duty." and that stuck with me! Can you imagine life without music? Can you imagine a church service without music?

Music truly is a gift from God.