Passing Tones

“Why is that a G?” a student asked me. When he played it together with the other notes in that beat of the song, they clashed.

 

“It must be a wrong note,” was the obvious thought in his mind. Or maybe the composer was having a bad day and took it out in writing a harsh chord?!

 

But, no. The note only seemed to be a mistake if looked at in isolation. When I had my student play the offending chord along with those before and after, it no longer sounded wrong. I could have pointed out a few reasons that note made sense in music theory, but even a casual listener could appreciate the momentary dissonance bringing even more beauty as it resolved back into sweet harmony.

 

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When I then read the following in a Bible study on Esther, that piano lesson came back to me.

 

“Pause and ask God to give you faith and joy in the truth that He is orchestrating every moment of your life.”*

 

Far too often I get stuck on the “moment’s” dissonance of this life with chronic illness and pain. Often unconsciously, I am feeling that this must be a big mistake:

- this hour’s pain

- this meal’s indigestion

- this day’s utter exhaustion

- this night’s restless sleep

- this week’s worse reactions to chemical sensitivities...

 

But that is just looking at “one note” in the midst of a whole symphony. I believe God is the perfect composer – no matter how I feel. I want to remember that and trust Him even when the notes I am currently playing sound “wrong.”

 

In music theory parlance, they are just “passing tones”!

 

*Esther: Trusting God's Plan by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth of Revive Our Hearts