One of the big challenges of being home-bound and isolated is the “grey” that comes with it. Today’s passage is a huge assist in combating this grey.

Ephesians 5:18-21, KJV: “¹⁸ And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; ¹⁹ Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

First, we are given a warning not to be drunk with wine which is excessive. Before we say that we aren’t given to drunkenness, let’s stop a minute. Are we allowing anything else in excess in order to fill the void? Are we allowing food or screen time or anything else as a substitute to fill the great void in being isolated? Ouch… Instead, we should be filled with the Spirit.

How, you ask? God tells us! We are to speak to ourselves. Did you catch that? As we are filled with the Spirit, we are to speak to ourselves with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Music is powerful. Godly music is powerful. The Psalms are a tremendous encouragement as they show both lament and praise. We are to sing and make melody in our hearts to the Lord. We are to give thanks to God our Father in Jesus’ name.

My own experience has shown this to be powerful, especially in the long, gray winter days. Personally, I love to play piano, playing through the hymns and spiritual songs, singing as I am able. You may not be able to play an instrument, but turning on Godly music can help you as you work through the doldrums. It can brighten the gray!

In this, the last verse brings up something a little harder. It means being vulnerable with our brothers and sisters in Christ which is difficult. We are to submit to one another in the fear of God. It may be that our brothers and sisters in Christ will see an issue in our lives and call us out on it. If they do, ask God to show you what is truth in it and then act accordingly. We need to be willing to submit, to yield control.

Today, let’s look for ways to encourage ourselves with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. God may also use this to encourage others.