New Music Friday: Ben Fuller "If It Was Up To Me"

What would you do if it were up to you?  Would you choose “Easy Street” all the time?

I believe that every day, in every season of life, we're all looking for a better way, an easier way, a road that's been safely paved.

Maybe you're like me. You tell yourself, “Things will be better next year. Tomorrow's another day. And if I just put in a little more time, a little more effort, and maybe make a little more money… life is finally going to be grand!”   It's kind of like driving down the road and seeing a sign that says, “Smooth pavement ahead.”  So you keep going, only to hit a pothole big enough to swallow your front tire! And you think, “Well, THAT wasn't in the brochure!”

We do that with life, don't we?  We keep waiting for the perfect job, the perfect circumstances, the perfect timing, or the day when everything finally falls into place. But here's the thing: God never promised us an easy road.  He promised us His presence along the way.

And sometimes, if everything were up to me, I'd choose Easy Street every single time. But if life always went according to my plans, where would grace find me?  Where would I discover God's strength when mine runs out?  Where would I learn to trust Him when I can't see what's around the bend?

Maybe the better life isn't waiting for us down an easier road.  Maybe it's found in walking with Jesus right where we are.

And there's a lyric in today's song that says it beautifully: “Thank God I'm not the one in charge of things… I'd never know how good Your plans could be.”

Now THAT tells the story!  Because sometimes, the very things we'd change about our lives are the places where we discover just how good God really is.

That's something to think about as we get into today's New Music Friday selection, “If It Was Up to Me” by Ben Fuller, featuring Carrie Underwood.

https://youtu.be/4G1TN_X4o_c?si=1SCLNyOoRMGq2EzL

About Ben Fuller: Music has taken Ben Fuller’s life and made it into something he never would have dreamed. Ben grew up working alongside his father in Southern Vermont on his family dairy farm. He'd pass the time by singing classic country tunes as he witnessed first-hand the hard work and dedication it took to run a farm. After generations of hurt in his family, Ben turned to cocaine and alcohol at a young age. Motivated to change, he moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a country singer in late 2018. A family friend invited Ben over for a meal and then to church the next morning, where the power of God radically transformed him. Today, Ben lives completely sober while sharing his story of hope, redemption, and healing in Jesus’ Name through his songs.