I told you before how I can here a song that is probably not written by a Christian artist and somehow reflect on a new meaning or at least a different meaning that it was intended by it’s author.
I was in the car yesterday, on my way home from the church, the new church (can I get a woo hoo?) and I heard “So Far Away” by Staind. It was a song that took me back to 2003. A not so happy time in my life. I had been making a lot of wrong choices. I could remember being so happy, literally standing on the top of the world. Soon to be rolled over by it, one little bad choice lead to another and another, and before I knew it I was rolling down into a downward cycle, only to be caught by the hand of God.
I remember buying the “14 shades of Gray” album, it was one of my favorites. I can remember listening to the words over and over. I was living a nightmare. And I was afraid to wake up because I was afraid it was going to be worse.
Only to be caught by the hand of God. Let me tell you folks, I didn’t hit rock bottom, I could have. I have been struggling with that crap (sorry Pat!) for a few years, I was afraid to let it go, until just recently. I had decided to let it go, to speak my pain outloud in a place where that wasn’t MY plan, but God made it His. I spoke the words outloud to a group of girls, all of which I didn’t know. I wrestled in my head with God, “I don’t want to say it” and He said “you need to say it, I need you to say it”. I said it. And somehow after saying it, I was able to release it, all the while touching the life of one young girl.
God works for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Maybe those are well used scripture in my vocabulary, maybe so. They have great meaning for me.
So yesterday, I was listening to the song, thinking about the words, and the new meaning of each one because I while I know I made mistakes, I am sorry I did them, but each one, God will make good from bad. I’m not afraid of waking. God has great plans for my life, and if I am obedient, and listen, it will be better than I can ever expect.
The words are below.
So Far Away – Staind (2003)
its not what it was before
all these feelings i've shared
and these are my dreams
that i'd never lived before
somebody shake me
'cause i
i must be sleeping
[chorus]
now that we're here,
it's so far away
all the struggle we thought was in vain
all the mistakes,
one life contained
they all finally start to go away
now that we're here its so far away
and i feel like i can face the day i can forgive
and i'm not ashamed to be the person that i am today
these are my words
that i've never said before
i think i'm doing okay
and this is the smile
that i've never shown before
somebody shake me 'cause i
i must be sleeping
[chorus]
i'm so afraid of waking
please don't shake me
afraid of waking
please don't shake me
[chorus]
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