Broken but Priceless Ministries
Follow Us:
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Broken but Priceless Ministries
    • Erin Elizabeth Austin
    • Josie Siler
    • Kathy Sebright
  • BLOG
    • Blog
    • Answers for Everyday Life
  • Magazine
    • The Magazine
    • Resources
  • Prayer
    • Request Prayer
    • Become a Prayer Partner
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Erin!
    • Public Speaking

This is my Story; This is my Song

9/10/2012

Comments

 
September is a month of change and new beginnings. It’s the time when students and teachers start a new school year. It’s the month when football season begins, and the hot summer weather begins to cool in preparation for Autumn. And for the unfortunate parents of children who have decided to join the school band, it’s the time when parents buy ear plugs to help protect their hearing.

I don’t think my parents ever resorted to wearing ear plugs, even though they had a good reason. My sister and I were both what we jokingly referred to as being “a band dork.” My sister chose the delicate instrument of a flute. Fortunately, when learning to play the flute, the sound isn’t unbearable to hear. The same can’t be said for the clarinet. Although it’s an instrument which makes beautiful music once it’s been mastered, it sounds like a dying goose when being played by a beginner. I remember many a night when my poor dog howled until I stopped practicing. Thankfully, my clarinet quickly stopped sounding like a goose, and I fell in love with band class and the music we played.

I loved making music with my fellow band members. It always amazed me to hear the final production of a piece of music we had worked on for months. All the mistakes, squeaks and squawks, and playing of wrong notes became lessons learned which helped make us better musicians. In the end, the song we played in concert was beautiful and well worth the effort we made to learn the music.

Many lessons were learned during those years I spent in band, and not all had to do with music. I learned about perseverance, discipline, and hard work. My band teacher taught me to never quit, even when challenged by something that seems impossible to overcome. Most importantly, I learned that when a person makes a mistake, he should keep going, and don’t allow the problem or mistake to keep him from moving forward. Beautiful music can still be made, despite the mistakes which were made.

Taking the lessons I learned in band class and applying them to life, I’ve come to realize that God is the Master Musician, and He is able to take every part of our lives and turn it into a lovely melody, in spite of our trials, pain, and tears. Paul knew this truth when he wrote Philippians 2:12-13. Verse thirteen is a verse I have often quoted when going through a difficult time to help remind myself that God is at work in my life, no matter how bleak things may appear. This verse says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

I love the original Greek word Paul used for “work.” This is a word that has only one translation in English, yet in the Greek, there are ten different words used for “work.” The word Paul chose to use is only written four other times in the entire New Testament for the word “work.” In fact, it’s a word that’s instantly recognizable even to those who have never studied Greek. The word Paul uses is energeo. Do you see it? This is where we get our word for “energy,” and it means ”active, doing, continually at work.”

To me, it’s amazing to think that God is continually at work in my life. Even when nothing in my life is going the way I hoped it would and I feel like God has forgotten about  me, God is constantly working. But why would He do this? According to the Greek words used for “will” and the phrase “for His good pleasure,” it’s because God “thinks well of us” and He “desires” to work in our lives. Only God could take something like a chronic illness and turn it into something beautiful, but the key is that we have to let Him.

When first learning how to play the clarinet, it would have been extremely easy to quit or simply not practice. If I had done this, I would have spent the remainder of the school year sounding like a dying goose every time I played the instrument. Yet because I allowed my band director to work with me and teach me, I continually became a better player and learned how to make music on what was formerly known as a goose killer. The same is true for each of us.

God wants each of our lives to be a song played for His glory. He is composing our lives note by note. Don’t let the problems you face take away your melody. Far too often, we give up on God and emulate a dying goose rather than a trained musician playing a wonderful song. Walk daily with God and let Him fill your heart with divine music. You have a story to tell and a song that only you can sing. So no matter what’s happening in your life right now, choose to sing. You have a God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord.” ~ Psalm 40:3

(c) September 10, 2012

Comments
    Email Subscription

    Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


    Picture
    Erin Elizabeth Austin

    Author

    Erin Elizabeth Austin is a writer and speaker with a passion to help people find healing in the midst of their brokenness.

    If you want to contact Erin directly please click here.


    Picture
    Josie Siler

    Contributor

    Josie Siler, like millions of others, is living with chronic illness. She is eager to share the hope and joy that she has found in Christ, whether that is in a church, at a women’s retreat, over a cup of hot cocoa, or through a blog post.
    Click here to email Josie.


    Archives

    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Categories

    All
    A New Perspective
    Angry At God
    Believing God
    Discovering Joy
    Embracing Who God Created You To Be
    Fighting Feelings Of Low Self Worth
    Fighting Feelings Of Low Self-Worth
    Learning To Thrive
    Names Of God
    Overcoming Bitterness
    Prayer
    Questioning God's Goodness
    Questioning God's Love
    Rising Above The Pain
    The Armor Of God
    The Names Of God
    When Hope Is Lost


    RSS Feed

Website by Business Notes LLC --- Photo Credits: Josie Siler