P
psychemusic
Guest
Hello all,
My question is one that has been a bit of a struggle for a great deal of my life, and it has to do with life purpose. I have always had a gift for composing music, which was evident ever since I was in grade school, and I made a decision to develop those talents to become a composer. Why? Because I picked up the idea somewhere that a person should develop their talents and use them. When I got to college, I wound up changing my major four times, finally settling on a business degree with emphasis in finance so that I could have some hope of making a living – my idea was that I could gain financial stability by holding a day job to pay the bills and pursue composition by night. I did stop composing for awhile, however, out of discouragement, but about seven years ago or so, as part of what I believed to be my renewed commitment to Christ through a Calvinist Bible Church, I decided to focus once again on music composition, this time the idea being that if a person is given a special ability by God, then that person has an obligation to develop that talent and use it for the glory of God.
Then I got married, started having children, and I wasn’t making enough to make ends meet – so I have been studying to earn some new professional designations, thereby making a career switch into actuarial science. That, I think, will be my best chance for adequately enabling me to provide for my family, pay our debts, and afford to have a larger family to boot. So I thought the decision was pretty straightforward – music composition goes on the sideline for now while I work to make sure I can provide for my family over the long haul. But when I finish my testing, make the career change, and the waters settle – what then?
Is the development of a person’s natural abilities – in my case, music composition – worth it from God’s perspective? Composition is very demanding, and it would require a bit of a sacrifice on the part of my family for me to pursue if I did it. I want to write a mass (I have already compiled enough sketches for a full mass), and I also have several incomplete operas. The problems, as I see them, are: (1) it’s virtually and practically impossible to make a living writing music; (2) it is difficult for me to see anymore how such a pursuit could in fact glorify God, since chances of even a premiere, much less making a meaningful impact on my listeners to the glory of the Gospel, is spotty at best. In light of these difficulties, does it really make sense for me to try and persevere, simply because I have the ability to make a unique and (hopefully) powerful musical expression of devotion to God?
OR . . . am I just full of myself? (My wife has already registered her (name removed by moderator)ut on this point, so there’s no need for her to repeat herself here! LOL)
Seriously – I crave your (name removed by moderator)ut. Thanks – Michael
My question is one that has been a bit of a struggle for a great deal of my life, and it has to do with life purpose. I have always had a gift for composing music, which was evident ever since I was in grade school, and I made a decision to develop those talents to become a composer. Why? Because I picked up the idea somewhere that a person should develop their talents and use them. When I got to college, I wound up changing my major four times, finally settling on a business degree with emphasis in finance so that I could have some hope of making a living – my idea was that I could gain financial stability by holding a day job to pay the bills and pursue composition by night. I did stop composing for awhile, however, out of discouragement, but about seven years ago or so, as part of what I believed to be my renewed commitment to Christ through a Calvinist Bible Church, I decided to focus once again on music composition, this time the idea being that if a person is given a special ability by God, then that person has an obligation to develop that talent and use it for the glory of God.
Then I got married, started having children, and I wasn’t making enough to make ends meet – so I have been studying to earn some new professional designations, thereby making a career switch into actuarial science. That, I think, will be my best chance for adequately enabling me to provide for my family, pay our debts, and afford to have a larger family to boot. So I thought the decision was pretty straightforward – music composition goes on the sideline for now while I work to make sure I can provide for my family over the long haul. But when I finish my testing, make the career change, and the waters settle – what then?
Is the development of a person’s natural abilities – in my case, music composition – worth it from God’s perspective? Composition is very demanding, and it would require a bit of a sacrifice on the part of my family for me to pursue if I did it. I want to write a mass (I have already compiled enough sketches for a full mass), and I also have several incomplete operas. The problems, as I see them, are: (1) it’s virtually and practically impossible to make a living writing music; (2) it is difficult for me to see anymore how such a pursuit could in fact glorify God, since chances of even a premiere, much less making a meaningful impact on my listeners to the glory of the Gospel, is spotty at best. In light of these difficulties, does it really make sense for me to try and persevere, simply because I have the ability to make a unique and (hopefully) powerful musical expression of devotion to God?
OR . . . am I just full of myself? (My wife has already registered her (name removed by moderator)ut on this point, so there’s no need for her to repeat herself here! LOL)
Seriously – I crave your (name removed by moderator)ut. Thanks – Michael
