I'm Not Ready
CoolHandLuke Lyrics

The first few lines of CoolHandLuke’s song “I’m Not Ready” might seem either confusing or heavy-handed without context. The “story” mentioned is presumed to be that of the crucifixion of Jesus, specifically the part where Jesus was nailed to the cross. The singer expresses a powerful emotional reaction to this tale (which presumably they’ve heard many times before), wishing they could physically remove the nails from the body of Jesus. But then, a twist: they realize that the nails are their own. This line is a perfect example of the sort of Christian imagery used throughout the song. By seeing oneself in Jesus’ place, the singer is coming to a deeper understanding of the faith.

This revelation leads to a sort of existential crisis, represented by the repetition of the line “I’m not ready for this”. It sounds like the “this” in question is the prospect of truly giving oneself over to Christ and letting go of their own ego, represented by the “pride” mentioned in the second verse. It’s a common struggle for the faithful, who might feel like they aren’t quite “good enough” for God’s plan, or like they’re clinging too tightly to earthly pleasures. The final verse of the song can be seen as a prayer for change — a giving up of that internal battle and the decision to “stand up” and do right by Jesus.