Themes, Thoughts and Earworms
What is the one song that has had the longest playtime run in your mind as an ear worm song? You know what I am talking about…right? Generally these are not the songs that you want to have in there. That’s not because they are bad, evil or wrong by nature. However, given the chance, you would likely choose any other song to have playing in your head, if you had to have one. Like your last meal, you would want it to be something awesome. Not “Baby Shark,” or some other mind numbing song like it (sorry to those now thinking about a particular family of sharks…).
Earworm songs are those songs that somehow get to have real estate in your mind and embed themselves in the internal world. They get locked in on repeat and are incredibly challenging to dislodge once they become entrenched into the mind.
Wikipedia defines an earworm as:
“Sticky music or stuck song syndrome, [it] is a catchy or memorable piece of music or saying that continuously occupies a person's mind even after it is no longer being played or spoken about.”
Like the earworm song, we all have songs, words, thoughts, narratives and embedded cultural themes that play consistently in our minds and hearts.
Some of these are positive, empowering, and life-giving and some of them are negative, dehumanizing, and can be life-altering.
Many people actually have themes or songs that play on repeat and affect them negatively in ways that draw them away from what God has for them, causing them to believe a false narrative of who they are, what their worth and value are in the world, and who God is to them. These sorts of negative thoughts and themes can create misalignment from the truth, God’s Word, and who He says that we are. This can distance us from what is right, which affects our ability to trust in the goodness of God and his love for us.
On the contrary, if these themes, thoughts and earworm messages are good, they have a powerful and transformative effect on our days and can be empowering in the way that we live our lives. Therefore, we must choose to manage and process well what we allow to have access to speak into our minds and hearts.
In Psalm 119 there is a line that talks about something similar to this in a positive and life-giving way. The author of the Psalm writes about how God’s word and decrees influence the ongoing narrative cultural theme in his life.
“Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge” Psalm 119:54 (NIV)
There is an important statement here: the theme of his song, or the tune that is playing in his mind, is able to be carried wherever he “lodges” or finds himself in his day. It is so embedded and embraced that it is unaffected by location, environment, or outcome.
The culture of his heart and mind is set to the cultural truth and themes of the Word and words of God. Both the Bible and the ongoing spoken words of God in his life.
The Psalmist chooses to invite and embrace the words of the Lord, allowing God to speak into and dictate the theme of his life.
This is such an interesting concept: the theme of my song.
What is the theme of the song in your mind, heart and life?
Have you ever noticed how the song in your mind or heart at the start of the day often sets the pace for the day? It also can also serve to reveal the condition of what’s going on in your heart and soul. Perhaps even giving an indication of how your heart is doing right then. When we allow the wrong stuff into our minds for long enough and entertain thoughts that are out of alignment with the culture of the kingdom and King Jesus, it is amazing how quickly these themes can affect us. They will start to shift and pull our thoughts and behaviours to pathways of negativity, dehumanization, and fear. Thoughts that don’t lead us to good places.
What we allow to play in our hearts and minds will always affect the way that we view ourselves, others, God, and the world around us. So the themes, thoughts and earworms that we entertain and embrace matter.
What are the themes of the song of your life?
What do you think about the most?
What are the thoughts that play when you are trying to make decisions or consider important things about God or yourself? What narrative themes seem to be most prevalent in the song of your heart, mind and life? When you are alone, what do you think about and what thoughts come to mind?
With those in mind…here are a few questions to consider if you are wondering if these themes are worth the real estate that they are occupying in your mind…
Is it helpful, empowering, positive, and life-giving?
Does it line up with the culture of God’s Kingdom?
Do the words promote life, wholeness, and an ability to see yourself and others the way that God does?
Do the themes promote deeper trust and intimacy with God?
Could you ever imagine Jesus speaking this over you?
If not, it is time to evict the thoughts and themes that have gotten embedded and look for some new thoughts, themes and healthy earworms to consider.
The Psalmist gives us a great place to start: the Word and words of God. Invite His truth. Allow His word to have access to your themes, thoughts and earworms.
When we open the Bible and open our hearts to God speaking into our lives, we are positioned to encounter Him with a spiritual receptivity that will invite Him to give us the best themes, thoughts and earworms that are worth embracing and having play on repeat in our minds and hearts.
