5 Worship Songs for the Hard Times
I don’t know about you, but sometimes music hits me in a way that nothing else can.
Particularly worship music. With the right lyrics at just the right time, I’ve been brought to tears more times than I can count.
Especially when I’m in the midst of a hard season.
When nothing seems to be going right, I’m running on empty, and my faith feels shaky. It’s then that the right lyrics come on, soothing my heavy heart and bringing peace to my weary soul.
Maybe you’re in the trenches right now.
Maybe your kids have been sick all winter, you’re sleep-deprived, and you’re wrestling with hard, heavy decisions on top of it all.
Maybe a diagnosis just rocked your family, and you don’t know what the future holds.
Perhaps broken relationships or shattered dreams have you feeling like you’ve hit rock bottom, and you have no idea how to even begin the climb back up.
I don’t know what battles you’re fighting, my friend. But I do know that sometimes music speaks when words fail.
Whatever storm you’re facing, here are 5 songs for when you’re at the end of your rope.
These songs have nurtured my soul and helped me lift my eyes many times before, and I pray they can do the same for you.
1. For When You Don’t Know What to Do Next
Let The Waters Rise by Mikeschair - Click here to hear it
Sometimes faith means following God even as the storm continues to rage. But even as the waters rise, we can trust Him. One of my favorite quotes is from Leslie Gould “Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms His child.”
A song that perfectly personifies the feeling of chaos and unrest that I experience when everything around me feels out of control, I listen to this song every time I’m grappling with a hard season or situation, no matter how big or smal
2. In Suffering, Pain, or When You've Lost Hope
In Jesus Name (God Of Possible) by Katy Nichole - Click here to hear it
Please be warned that this is a VERY emotional music video portrayed from a small boy’s perspective. As a mother, I can’t watch it without crying. This song is a raw and powerful plea to God on behalf of the listener. Katy Nichole’s words are like a warm embrace, reminding you that you’re not alone and that nothing is too far gone for God.
‘In Jesus Name’ is a song that has been put on repeat during some of the hardest and heaviest seasons of my life, and countless tears have fallen from my eyes as I listened to it. Bonus? My 9-year-old niece adores Katy Nichole, and I love an artist who can connect multiple generations to the goodness of God.
3. When Someone You Love is Fighting a Hard Battle
Angel by Your Side by Francesca Battistelli - Click here to hear it
Sometimes, the battle isn’t ours, and we find ourselves in the trenches with someone else. We climb down into someone else’s hardship and walk alongside them. God calls us to love one another, help one another, and serve one another. This life wasn’t meant to be walked alone.
Sometimes, we have to be strong for someone who can’t be right now. This song encourages the heart of anyone who has ever rallied alongside someone else in their suffering.
4. When The Storm Keeps on Raging
Eye of the Storm by Ryan Stevenson - Click here to hear it
This song is like a power ballad of hope. Packed with powerful reminders of God’s provision and protection, the lyrics are relatable. Stevenson doesn’t shy away from the broken world we live in, highlighting real heartaches, hardships, and battles that we all face.
If you’re in the middle of the storm and having trouble regaining your footing, give this song a listen. Let it remind you where your help comes from by highlighting that nothing is too big for God to handle.
5. You've Hit Your Wall, and You're at Your Breaking Point
Broken Hallelujah by The Afters - Click here to hear it
Sometimes, God feels far away. Sometimes, we even push God away because our circumstances feel like too much, or we feel too far gone. This song beautifully marries our brokenness with the hope we have in Him.
Rock bottom is a place most of us have seen before, and ‘Broken Hallelujah’ is a battle cry to keep going, keep fighting, and keep trusting. An emotional reminder that God doesn’t need us to be perfect and put together, He just wants us - broken as we may be.
I could add so many songs to this list because worship music has helped me through layoffs, loss, broken relationships, and every heartache of this life. I pray these songs help you lift your eyes, your voice, and your hearts today.
May God use these lyrics and these artists’ God-given talents to encourage you and remind you that you’re never alone, never forgotten, and never forsaken.
Stay hopeful, friends. The storm will end.