Unleashed
Music affects us. Our mood, our attitude, which in turn affects our actions. It is difficult to explain. Sometimes, we don’t even see the impact. How does music affect you? Or how does your taste in music change dependent on your mood?
I would say there are two major types of musical reactions to depression. You have some people who are feeling blue and their optimism of something better drives them to listen to what I refer to as “happy music,” You know the kind–soft and dreamy like kittens, unicorns, and rainbows. Then, you have the other side of the coin–the pessimistic wallflowers. They turn on the angsty brooding music that hammers away to lyrics along the lines of “blah, blah, blah, I hate you, blah, blah blah, life sucks!”
For the record my husband falls into the former category, and I the later; but I’m glad that somewhere along the way I found another approach. I’m glad I found Skillet.
I suffered from serious bouts with depression throughout my childhood and adolescence. I often felt unwanted, unloved, untalented, undesired, uninvited. I wanted more out of life, but lost hope that more was even achievable. Getting involved with church gave me some hope, but I still regarded myself as too broken even for God. And when my church let me down, I didn’t separate the people of the church from my direct relationship with God. Because I didn’t think I could have a personal relationship with God. Even my own parents didn’t want me, how could I ever be good enough for God?
Sometimes I think back and wonder if I ever would have made it through those terrible teenage years without Skillet’s music.
The thing about Skillet’s music is that it doesn’t fit in either the happy or the misery category. Skillet’s music is empowering. It’s positive, but not in a puppies on clouds and unicorns farting rainbows kind of way–it’s real. It’s also dark, but not in the desperate bitter way, demanding others to share your sorrow–it’s real. Life is rough. Bad things happen. Hope is real. Happiness is achievable. But you have to fight. Listen to enough of Skillet’s music and it will unleash your inner warrior.
I find it only fitting that Skillet’s newest album, aptly titled “Unleashed,” has hit the market just when my husband and I needed the reminder the most. We are struggling with ongoing complications of our blended family and depression is just one uncontrolled thought away. Every day we need the reminder to refuse to sulk or to get lost in dreams of fantasy utopias, and focus on what is real and rise up to fight. Unleash the fire within. You are invincible when you trust in God and believe in yourself.
I’ve one read Skillet creator and front man, John Cooper, describe music this way, “Music expresses something I could never say with words. Music helps me remember how to FEEL. Music is power. Music heals. Music breaks chains. Ends depression. Stops addiction. Drives out demons. God gave us the ability to create music so mankind can better glorify Him.”
Like every album Skillet has produced, I could listen to “Unleashed” on repeat non-stop. Constantly being enlightened and encouraged. I was introduced to Skillet by one of those 99 cent “New Deal-e-o” CDs and have never looked back. (If you don’t know what that is, you’ve either never been in a Christian book store… or you know, I’m just getting old…) Right now the track “Lions” is really speaking to my situation, so let me close by sharing the lyrics with you.
Lions
By SkilletToday we live, today we breathe
Today we know that we are strong when we are weak
Today we trust, we overcome
Take every chain that kept us slaves and throw em’ off
We’re not waiting for permission
We defy our inhibition
Like our middle name is “fearless”
UnafraidIf we’re gonna fly, we fly like eagles
Arms out wide
If we’re gonna fear, we fear no evil
We will rise
By your power, we will go
By your spirit, we are bold
If we’re gonna stand, we stand as giants
If we’re gonna walk, we walk as lions
We walk as lionsToday is ours, it’s always been
Before we face the fight
We know who’s gonna win
We live by faith and not by sight
We don’t want safe and quiet
We don’t wanna run and hide
This is not an intermission
It’s our time, not gonna miss it
You’ve already called us fearless
UnafraidIf we’re gonna fly, we fly like eagles
Arms out wide
If we’re gonna fear, we fear no evil
We will rise
By your power, we will go
By your spirit, we are bold
If we’re gonna stand, we stand as giants
If we’re gonna walk, we walk as lions
We walk as lionsOh, everywhere we go
The battle has been won
We know you’ve gone before us
So, we take it hard in faith
With every step we take
We know we’ll rise victoriousIf we’re gonna fly, we fly like eagles
Arms out wide
If we’re gonna fear, we fear no evil
We will rise
By your power, we will go
By your spirit, we are bold
If we’re gonna stand, we stand as giants
If we’re gonna walk, we walk as lions
We walk as lions