Peterson’s artistic successes may be surpassed by his skill in connecting people, embodied in the Rabbit Room online community (RabbitRoom.com), which gathers contributions from authors, songwriters, and pastors, encouraging creativity and referencing its ultimate source. The thread of community, also a theme of Counting Stars, imbues his beloved annual Christmas show, Behold The Lamb Of God, a long-running multi-artist tour based on Peterson’s original Christmas album of the same name. In all of these works, Peterson’s listeners can hear reminders that community, beauty, and hope all point back to the God “who gave music the power to carry his light into the darkness.” Andrew, his wife Jamie, and their three children make their home in Nashville.
Faith to Be Strong
Andrew Peterson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Father, we are so weak
Our bodies are fragile and weary
As we stagger and stumble to walk where you lead
Give us faith to be strong
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we're torn
Mend us up when we break
This flesh can be wounded and shaking
When there's much too much trouble for one heart to take
Give us peace when we're torn
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it's hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us hearts to find hope
Father, we cannot see
How the sorrow we feel can bring freedom
And as hard as we try, Lord, it's hard to believe
So, give us hearts to find hope
Give us faith to be strong
Give us strength to be faithful
This life is not long, but it's hard
Give us grace to go on
Make us willing and able
Lord, give us faith to be strong
Give us peace when we're torn
Give us faith, faith to be strong
In Andrew Peterson's song, "Faith to Be Strong," the lyrics speak to the human experience of weakness and longing for strength and faith. The first verse acknowledges our physical limitations as we stumble to follow God. We are frail and weary, and yet we are being called to walk where God is leading us. In these moments of fragility, we need faith to be strong. The second verse speaks to the difficulties of life, with its hardships and sorrows that can leave us wounded and shaking. Despite the hardship, we are called to be faithful and to rely on God's grace. The chorus is a prayer that asks God for the strength, the faith, the grace, and the peace that we need to persevere.
The third verse is a cry for hope in the midst of suffering. It is easy to lose hope when we cannot see beyond our sorrow, but the song asks God to give us hearts to find hope. We need to believe that our suffering can bring freedom and that there is hope beyond our troubles. The song emphasizes that we need faith to be strong, which is expressed not only through our words but through our actions. When we are weak, we can rely on God's strength to carry us through.
In summary, "Faith to Be Strong" is a prayerful song that speaks to the human condition of fragility and the need for faith to persevere. It acknowledges the difficulties of life and the need for God's grace, peace, and hope. Ultimately, the song asks for faith to be strong, knowing that it is only through our faith in Jesus Christ that we can find strength to carry on.
Line by Line Meaning
Give us faith to be strong
Grant us the courage and confidence to face the trials and challenges of life
Father, we are so weak
Acknowledge our inherent frailties and shortcomings
Our bodies are fragile and weary
Realize the limitations of our corporeal existence
As we stagger and stumble to walk where you lead
Strive to follow your divine guidance despite our human fallibility and imperfection
Give us strength to be faithful
Empower us to remain steadfast and loyal in our commitment to you
This life is not long, but it's hard
Recognize the brevity and difficulty of our earthly existence
Give us grace to go on
Grant us your unmerited and undeserved favor to persevere in our journey of faith
Make us willing and able
Enable us to embrace your will and purpose for our lives with eagerness and capability
Give us peace when we're torn
Bestow upon us tranquility and calmness in times of trauma and crisis
Mend us up when we break
Heal our wounds and restore us to wholeness when we are damaged and shattered
This flesh can be wounded and shaking
Acknowledge the vulnerability and fragility of our physical existence
When there's much too much trouble for one heart to take
Comprehend the overwhelming burden and stress that can afflict us
Give us hearts to find hope
Grant us receptive and resilient spirits to discover optimism and expectation in the midst of adversity
Father, we cannot see
Acknowledge our limited understanding and perception of the mysteries of life
How the sorrow we feel can bring freedom
Understand the paradoxical truth that pain and grief can lead to liberation and deliverance
And as hard as we try, Lord, it's hard to believe
Confess our doubts and struggles in believing in your promises and goodness
Give us faith, faith to be strong
Implore for a genuine and unshakable trust in your love and care that will empower us to endure and overcome all obstacles
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steven Smith
I love Andrew Peterson's music. This song, although written a while back, totally fits with our weary, troubled world today. Thank you Andrew for listening to the Father—and writing it down!!
Omachoko Mark
God bless you for this song. Anytime face droops to the earth in defeat, I pray this song. We will continue to hope until this short hard life is gone.
Doreen Hewitt
this is such a beautiful song, I have lost so many people and this song is my prayer everyday.
elmsdale-hardwoodlands pastoral charge
A friend of mine shared a link to another of your songs... I listened to it, then I clicked on this one. It is so fitting for our province of Nova Scotia, Canada at this time (pandemic and the worst mass murders in Canadian history, April 18-19, 2020). The hashtag NovaScotiaStrong has been circulating, and we all need "Faith to be strong". So glad I discovered this song, and I've shared it on my facebook page to strengthen others. Thank you for sharing your faith through your music!
Emily Boronkay
I listen to this daily as an alarm with the names of those who need this listed in the alarm so I always pray for them.
Jennifer Bell
Love LOVE this song. It's so perfect for the trials that we're facing now. My daughter (who is a 2020 college grad) would like to sing it for streaming for our church services, but I can't find the piano accompaniment anywhere. Is this available?
kalimbean
My friend just sent this to me. I’m glad to have her in my life :) I needed this
Eleanor Petrucco
I have been a fan of Andrew's for so many years and have met him countless times. He's so incredibly talented and I love this song so much. Thanks, Andrew. Love you, man.
島田マサヒコ
Amen 🙏
島田マサヒコ
Amen 🙏