At one point in his life, his wife told him; ‘’why don’t you
curse God and die’’
Hey gospel artists and artistes, let’s talk about Job’s story
and contrast and relate it to ourselves. He was in a mess. Lost his family,
wealth, and the one person he was not supposed to lose; his wife. No
she did not die, she turned to dark ways, she hated him as much as to suggest
to him, to end his life! So Job was poor, hated, sick, unrecognised and alone!
Even his friends could hardly recognise him; he had no recognition of any sort.
In a way, part of that story describes some of y’all. Now did
Job do anything to deserve all this? No! Some of y’all be really
‘’sanging’’ and stuff, a chorister, choir leader, or music director, maybe you
have a couple of singles or albums out, but yet, no contract from record
labels, no YouTube hits, or awards and accolades. You are not even on the radio
or TV; and you might have been in this industry for a while, and just like Job,
you are unrecognised, or so it seems.
Now, it isn’t that you are not creative enough, or that you
don’t sound good, or that you have not tried to step up your game or that you
have no message. If you fall in that category this is not for you. But the
harder you’ve worked, it seems that you are not getting the reachability or
getting the huge audience and followership commensurable or one you always had in mind or the kind
other secular musicians or even other gospel musicians are getting or now have.
And now, the devil is telling you two things as you keep
contemplating your next steps and moves. And as you’re thinking, what do I need
to get a hit? An album? Single? Video? Concert? Tour? And you’ve tried some of
it at other times, and it ended in disappointing spells. And yes the proper
frame of mind is that we’re doing this music thing to praise and give glory to
God, but let’s face it, when people don’t appreciate you, or as much as even
listen to you, it gradually does something to you.
So the devil is telling you, MTV is telling you, TRACE,
SOUNDCITY is telling you, why don’t you curse God and die?
It would have made more sense for Job’s wife to tell him to
commit suicide, but why did she want him to voice out those words? The enemy
wants you to CHANGE YOUR MESSAGE. Just keep that in mind. He wants you to
conform, and start bringing out garbage from your mouth.
It’s easier when people will support you no matter what, but
what happens when your closest friends, family don’t believe in you or your
calling again, because you are not a ‘star?’Job's wife that was supposed to be there for him in dark times left him. It is disappointing I know.
Now this is not for everybody; some gospel musicians are
doing pretty well, by every standard; awards, gold, platinum certified
recording albums. Some others start slow and pick up, but some other artists
are so underrated. The world definitely needs to know, understand, hear and
appreciate them more, but that isn’t the case.
So when you're in this situation, you watch other secular videos, E!
Channel, BET, MTV, TRACE and all, and you hear the sound and watch the videos
and basically see the lives of other secular artists in now popularised reality
TV shows, interviews, countdowns, and even trends on twitter and all. At that point, you
hate yourself, your gift, your calling, your message, your brand, everything
you ever stood for as an artist, you’re now discouraged. And the devil is
telling you; give up, or compromise.
Some have given up, some start compromising; you start
tailoring your sound, your image, your message, your ministry, and yes! Music
is ministry, you start tailoring your ministry to what you think is relevant in
the industry.
Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with being
creative here, after all music has various genres, and I don’t think gospel
should be restricted, read this blog I wrote: letter-to-future-artists-and-song-writers-part-1/ . But when you start losing your
message, style and ultimately start losing yourself, and who God has called you to be,
because you want to be commercial, loved, famous, or feel among, then there is
a problem. The devil is confusing you.
But the devil takes the deceit to another level for some; he
wants you to compromise your faith completely not subtly. Curse God and end your
misery. History is replete with people who started in the church and felt that
gospel music was putting them in a box, and immediately they became secular,
they blew.
Now understand the devil’s tricks;
- · He wants you to start sounding inspirational or positive. Someone in the industry that I respect so much; Kirk Franklin said; ‘’you have a choice, and it’s going to be hard some days, are you going to jump into the inspirational or positive band wagon every day and call God and not offend anybody, or will you take up your cross and realise that as long as you say, Jesus, a lot of doors are going to close in your face, a lot of people are not going to want to hear what you have to say…’’ There is really something about the name; Jesus!
- · Switch completely! Your sex appeal can get you to the top. And it’s giving some young artistes some ideas, it is now normal for artists to be sex symbols. At this stage, you’ve lost it.
- · Isn’t it shockingly direct that some people have cursed God, and the irony is that, they are so called heavy weights in the industry? Mocking God and Jesus? When you can go as far as naming your album Yeezus… these people were so called Christians at some point.
Do not sell your soul by compromising! Don’t buy the idea that for you to be at the top, to be
successful; have no regard for God, his word, start singing about fornication,
lust, money, drugs, cars, jets, how much you’re worth or who you know. The
bible says that people of this world brag about what they have.
Is that really who you want to be? Is that what you want? Job
said something; ‘’I know my redeemer lives.’’ The psalmist says that since he
was young and now he is old, he’s never seen the righteous forsaken, or his
children beg bread. The preacher in Ecclesiastics said; ‘’ the eyes will never
get tired of seeing, and the ears will never get tired of hearing’’ no matter
how many songs or artists they already are, there is still an audience for what
you have and will ever sing! If I had a dollar for every time God says in His
word that, He will never leave us or forsake us, I’d be rich!
The point is, how do you think that God is going to forsake
his child that is making his kingdom proud, leading people to Christ, touching
lives? In the parable of the lost sheep, the whole of heaven threw a party for
one soul that repented. God recognised even that one soul you’ve been able to
touch so far, that one soul that is saved because of your ministry and gift.
And I know that so far you’ve touched more than one!
Now about the platform, do you think that God will leave you
struggling your whole life? I don’t think so!
God said, ask of me, and I will give you the nations and the
ends of the earth as your possession. Put your songs in there. Ask God, your
songs will be heard ALL over the nations and the ends of the earth! That looks
like a huge record deal to me! Have you asked God yet? Now believe Him and have
faith. Just like Job; the latter part of his life was far greater than the
former, yours will be too. The best is yet to come, you haven’t seen anything
yet. You cannot give up now. Just don’t stop doing, singing what God asked you
to, if you’re convinced that it’s what he wants from you. Be creative in passing your message across. Who said you have to choose between traditional and contemporary? Be creative and you can have both! If you are
disciplined in your perspective you’ll be victorious in your outcome!
Uche Emordi
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