Is there anyone who does not love the smooth, uplifting songs of Frankie Beverly? Impossible! The Lord reclaimed his silky vocal chords, but his classic sounds will be with us forever. His music makes us smile, pop our fingers and move our feet. However, regardless of your generation, your favorite song, or your musical preference, certain songs remind us that fun is a healthy prescription for every season, even for Christians!
The Bible says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful”. (Proverbs 15:13 NIV.) If we are full of God’s joy, we can contribute to an atmosphere of pleasure and it should show on our faces. Yet enjoying happiness seems to be an area that receives very little attention in our walk with God. Do we realize that He expects and desires us to enjoy life? However, when we do, we prefer to keep it a secret. We allow struggles, sorrow, and pain to dominate too much of our conversations. And then we wonder why our testimony is so dry and unproductive. After all, who wants to serve a rigid, severe God? It’s as if the Lord put a moratorium on good, clean Christian fun and laughter. But He has not. And we need to show His goodness on our faces, with our words, and in our lives. So it’s time to make a change!
A good place to begin is to embrace the recreational activities we enjoy, even if it is dancing. For some reason, we have turned dancing into a deadly sin. But it is not the activity; it is how we dance that makes the difference. Line dancing is enjoyable, and a great form of exercise. Besides, line dancing classes create friendships, camaraderie, and remove us from our comfort zone. They provide us with a reason to go out and test those new steps! We meet people from various walks of life, and if they are not Christians, they may discover loving and living for God is not boring, and recognize we have rhythm!
Also remember when we danced with a partner? Well, dancing with the opposite sex in a respectable, tasteful manner is still admirable and allowed. In fact, Facebook has uplifting videos of young middle school children dancing with the opposite sex and having a ball! They are turning, stepping, and their enjoyment is visible. Perhaps if Christians participate in such activities, we can be an example instead of pretending it’s the path to ungodliness.
If it’s not rhythm and blues, the sound of smooth jazz can relax our minds. It allows us to release tension and download tranquility. We can get “lost” in the instruments, identify with the lyrics, and rendezvous with the melody.
And of course we cannot omit worship music. The evolution of this genre includes the songs played by pianist Dappy T. Keys, various choirs, and solo artists.
Even gospel concerts, festivals, and cultural experiences are provided through community groups. Whatever your pleasure, every genre of the arts is available.
Additionally, we know that nothing creates connections and friendships like food. Meet your friends at a new restaurant on a regular basis, laugh, and commit to making this a regular part of your recreation. It’s a great way to unwind.
So when should we begin? NOW! BeBe Winans reminds us in his song based on the scripture Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) “A cheerful heart is good medicine.” So reset
your GPS, Godly Productive Spirit, inhale laughter, and exhale anxiety. Replace your frown with a smile. Then open your mouth and swallow a huge dose of God’s joy. Be prepared——because your heart will have a different beat, fun and laughter will invade your lifestyle, your testimony will change, and your countenance will glow. And this medicine, if taken regularly, will last for a lifetime, and help you to loosen up!
Author Avis Marcus is a praying woman who was led by the Holy Spirit to create Words That Heal, a website to promote and encourage Christian development. 