Charles Wesley was addicted to writing hymns. He composed over 6,400 of them and felt that he had had a bad day any day in which he failed to write a new hymn.
The power of a new song was not lost on King David. He proclaimed, “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and he set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God” (Psalm 40:2-3).
One of the tools of recovery is music. Ask God to put a new song in your heart. There is just something about praising God, singing out to him, that magnifies his presence.
I’ve done this in two ways. I often go to the beach at night, all alone. I set my chair out near the water, and do three things – listen to the waves, look to the stars, and sing. (No one but God can hear me.)
And years ago, I used to go to a friend’s ranch in north Texas for personal time. I’d bring my saxophones with me, and play them outside, where only the cows and God could hear me. I’d play praise songs and old hymns. I wasn’t very good, but the cows didn’t seem to mind.
Try that this week. Sing a song to the Lord. Or play a song if you’re a musician. It just might be the missing ingredient to your recovery.
Recovery Step: Sing (or play) a new song.
