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I have a wealth of hymns, gospel, children’s, and contemporary Christian music lyrics stored away in my head. No need for Spotify, Pandora, or iHeartRadio. My brain will shuffle through its own playlist to find the song it searches for, and from my mouth will flow loud and off-tune words of praise. However, what I find easy to sing, I often find difficult to live. 

Jesus’ disciples shared my predicament, I think. They were just twelve ordinary men following this cool guy who turned water into wine, overloaded nets with fish, walked on water, commanded storms to cease, and raised the dead. Additionally, He healed the sick, blind, and lame, cast out demons, fed more than five thousand people with two little fish and five loaves, and expounded on Scripture like no other. He called the religiously elite Pharisees hypocrites, whitewashed tombs, and vipers. He turned over tables and chased crooks from the temple with a whip. In their self-centered hearts, the disciples were convinced Jesus would establish an earthly kingdom and make them important components of it. They were happy to follow Him (Matthew 6:10). 

But suddenly, everything changed. Jesus was arrested, interrogated, beaten, crucified, and buried. Shocked and grieving, Peter and John went to His tomb and found it empty. Despite all the miracles they’d witnessed and teachings they’d heard, their first thought wasn’t a confident, “He is risen!”

Ever the skeptics, they thought someone had stolen Jesus’ body. To the emotions they already experienced, they added despair and fear. Yet God took those events that I view as negative and used them to form a stalwart, cohesive, faith-filled, fearless, God-glorifying, unstoppable band of disciples. And at the same time, He redeemed humanity. 

Singing will always be easier for me than surrendering my own self-centered heart to the one who is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. How about you? Make sure your words and actions say the same thing.