Everyone has a bad day every once and a while, it's a given. Life isn't all about rainbows and butterflies, as much as we would all love for it to be. As a Christian, I spend a lot of time on those hard days "looking up" for comfort and reassurance. Some days, "looking up" actually means flipping through the scripture and asking God to lead me to the verses I need to read, but over the past few months "looking up" has been a completely different process... it's been just turning my "Looking Up" playlist on shuffle and just listening to the music flowing through the room.
I know I sound crazy, but I promise, these are the songs that can start the healing of any season of life.
1. Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) - Hillsong United
"Spirit lead e where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior."
2. Chain Breaker - Zach Williams
"If you've got pain, He's a pain taker. If you feel lost, He's a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, He's a prison-shaking Savior. If you've got chains, He's a chain breaker."
3. God's Not Dead - Newsboys
"God's not dead, He is surely alive. He is living on the inside, roaring like a lion."
4. Where I Belong - Building 429
"All I know is I'm not home yet, this is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong."
5. Steal My Show - Toby Mac
"If You want to steal my show, I'll sit back and watch You go. If You've got something to say go on and take it away."
6. Need You Now - Plumb
"How many times have you given me strength to just keep breathing? Oh, I need You. God, I need You now."
7. You Are I Am - Mercy Me
"You're the one who conquers giants. You're the one who calls out kings. You shut the mouths of lions. You tell the dead to breathe. You're the one who walks through fire. You take the orphan's hand. You are the one Messiah. You are I Am."
8. Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave
"I am redeemed, You set me free. So I'll shake off these heavy chains, and wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be. I am redeemed. Thank God, redeemed."
9. Whom Shall I Fear - Chris Tomlin
"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind. The God of angel armies is always by my side. The One who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine. The God of angel armies is always by my side."
10. I Need A Miracle - Third Day
"No matter who you are, and no matter what you've done, there will come a time when you can't make it on your own. In your hour of desperation, know you're not the only one praying 'Lord above, I need a miracle'."
11. Worn - Tenth Avenue North
"Let me see redemption win. Let me know the struggle ends, that You can mend a heart that's frail and torn. I want to know a song can rise from the ashes of a broken life, and all that's dead inside can be reborn. 'Cause I'm worn."
12. Your Love Never Fails - Newsboy
"Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me."
13. Savior, Please - Josh Wilson
"I try to be so tough, but I'm just not strong enough. I can't do this alone, God, I need You to hold on to me. I try to be good enough, but I'm nothing without Your love. Savior, please, keep saving me."
14. By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North
"Cause I'll be by your side whenever you fall, in the dead of night whenever you call, and please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you."
15. Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns
"But the voice of Truth tells me a different story, and the voice of Truth says 'Do not be afraid', and the voice of Truth says 'This is for My Glory'. Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will choose to listen and believe the voice of Truth."
16. Give Me Your Eyes - Brandon Heath
"Give me Your eyes for just one second, give me Your eyes so I can see everything that I keep missing. Give me Your love for humanity. Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted, the ones that are far beyond my reach. Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten. Give me Your eyes, so I can see."
17. How He Loves - David Crowder
"He is jealous for me. Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy. When all of a sudden I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realize just how beautiful You are and how great Your affections are for me. And, oh, how He loves us so."
18. Walk By Faith - Jeremy Camp
"I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see. Well, because this broken road prepares Your will for me."
19. Love Is Here - Tenth Avenue North
"Love is here. Love is now. Love is pouring from His hands, from His brow."
20. What Faith Can Do - Kutless
"I've seen miracles just happen, silent prayers get answered, broken hearts become brand new.. that's what faith can do."
21. Lead Me To The Cross - Chris and Conrad
"Lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out. Bring me to my knees, Lord, I lay me down."
22. I Can Only Imagine - Mercy Me
"I can only imagine what it will be like, when I walk by Your side. I can only imagine what my eyes will see, when Your face is before me. Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for You, Jesus? Or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your prescence? Or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine. I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever... forever worship You."
23. The Motions - Matthew West
"I don't wanna go through the motions, I don't wanna go one more day without Your all consuming passion inside of me. I don't wanna spend my whole life asking... What if I had given everything? Instead of going through the motions."
24. Cry Out To Jesus - Third Day
"When you're lonely and it feels like the whole world is falling on you. You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus. Cry out to Jesus."
25. Hold My Heart - Tenth Avenue North
"One tear in the driving rain. One voice in a sea of pain. Could the Maker of the stars hear the sound of my breaking heart? One life, that's all I am. Right now, I can barely stand. If You're everything You say You are, would You come close, and hold my heart?"