As we all know, the elections are a painful, extended, and frustrating ordeal. It seems as though they last longer and grow more painful each and every year. As I walked into the church building on the Wednesday after the elections, I noticed a despondent mood in the air and a general feeling of discouragement. The results of the political race and the subsequent headlines of the day were disheartening. This election determined an unfortunate course that our country will take concerning many matters, most notably, religion and morality. As a result, many were feeling defeated.

But as our singing and Scripture reading started, I noticed a theme developing. We began to read passages about the faithfulness of God toward those who serve Him. We sang songs about the expectation and joy of heaven. Then I began to notice a change of mood. We started to become happier. We started to remember what life is really about and to look toward God for comfort. As the hour continued I noticed that those who seemed disappointed were now encouraged. Those who seemed sad were uplifted. I certainly know that I was refreshed. By praising God and celebrating the strength found in brotherhood, we developed hope! We were encouraged.

If you take a look at our old Sacred Selections songbook (it has the most dates recorded), you will notice that many of the songs concerning the anticipation of joy in heaven and the faithfulness of God were written during very significant, yet terrible, years. Isn’t it interesting that many of our favorite optimistic hymns (some of which we sang on Wednesday) were written around 1914 (beginning of WWI), 1929 (stock market crash), 1939 (rumors of war), and 1943 (the middle of WWII)? Christians have always understood the encouraging power of singing.

In James 5:13, James asks; “Is anyone among you suffering?” Then he suggests, “Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” I do not think that James would be adverse to us singing in our distress as well. In fact, Paul and Silas did just that in their discouraging situation. They were in a Philippian jail, “but at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25). In the same way, I think it was appropriate that we had a singing/scripture reading that Wednesday. The singing did just what it was supposed to do. It helped us remember when we are discouraged; the answer is to praise God! –DMF