There are a lot of love songs, but there aren’t a lot of songs that talk about the harder parts of love, like persevering when it’s difficult and moving forward after you’ve been hurt. Those are the kinds of songs I’ve compiled for today’s list.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
— 1 John 4:18 (LSB)
/ “Fear Is Easy, Love Is Hard” (Jason Gray)
The title of this song says it all. It’s easier to hide behind fear than to move forward in love. Fear is simpler and less complicated because it allows us to place others in boxes, while love acknowledges that labels are poor containers for people. When you choose to love, you’ll inevitably face barriers along the way. But the hard parts of love don’t negate its goodness.
/ “That’s What Love Is” (David Phelps)
Love motivates us to hold on to faith and hope, even when things look bleak. Choosing to love will take you on the journey of a lifetime. It will call for the best you have to offer, but it will also give you the greatest reward you could ever find.
/ “Revolutionary” (Josh Wilson)
If you want to start a revolution, here’s how to start: love someone who’s not like you. Love smashes the walls we build to keep ourselves safe. When we listen and learn from those who seem different on the outside, we find common ground, and we break the power of hate. That’s nothing short of revolutionary.
/ “Only You Can Save” (Chris Sligh)
This song plays on the heart strings in a way few other songs I’ve heard have done, challenging listeners to love those who make them uncomfortable. God’s love propels us because He’s the only one who can save. We can love others, but we can’t save them. Still, do we genuinely care about them? Does the love that we claim lives inside us show itself, or are we deceiving ourselves? God wants to show His love through us, but we must be willing vessels.
. . .the closest we ever get to loving others like God loved us is when we give somebody a second chance to hurt us.
— Chris Fabry
/ “Hosea” (Andrew Peterson)
This Bible-based ballad is for anyone who’s ever loved someone who has hurt them. Told from the perspective of the one who spurns a relentless love, it reminds us that even when you’ve wandered, love will come and find you. Love sows seeds of healing, life, and hope in even the hardest heart. And there’s a certain kind of freedom that can only be found once your heart is bound by love.
/ “Out of the Wilderness” (Brian White and Justice)
Hurt from past relationships can make you cautious when you stand on the precipice once more. You need a different kind of love from what you’ve had in the past. This song talks about how God gives us second chances and changes us into the likeness of His faithfulness. Just because you’ve failed in the past doesn’t mean that’s what you’re destined for. God can rewrite your story into something more wonderful than you could have imagined.
/ “If You Want to Love Someone” (Jason Gray)
If you want to love someone, the best way is by getting to know their weaknesses and ministering to them there. Search for the hurt you can help to soothe by being a trusted friend. It might be hard to find at first, but everyone has tender spots that call for the healing hands of gentleness. This is how God loves us, and it’s how we’re called to love others.
/ “More than You’ll Ever Know” (Watermark)
This song celebrates the blessing of Christian friendship and the deep bond we share. Friends speak truth to us and fight for us in prayer, and we share each others’ burdens. Meaningful relationships encourage our spirits in a special kind of way.
/ “Straight to the Heart” (Michael W. Smith)
This is one of those songs that almost makes me want to cry whenever I hear it. It poignantly captures the shimmering beauty of friendship. Friends support us in our weakest and darkest moments, and in so doing, they find a home in the deepest parts of our heart.
/ “Perfect Harmony” (Brent Bourgeois)
Before we can be in harmony with others, we need to be in harmony with God. This song speaks to that, using musical techniques like shifting between minor and major keys to capture the struggling and shifting in our souls as we seek to get in tune. I love how the chorus captures the concept it’s trying to convey in sound. We must tune our hearts to God’s heavenly melody. We will only be truly happy once we’ve discovered the unique role He has for us to play in sharing His song of love.
/ “We Will Stand” (Russ Taff)
This classic anthem is a call for unity in the body of Christ. Even though we’re all part of one family, we don’t always act like it. We need to recognize the bond we share and look to the day when we will be united as Christ’s bride. We’re so much stronger when we stand together.
You can find a playlist of all the songs listed here plus several others by clicking the picture below:
Hi! “Revolutionary” is a song that I grew up listening to and I love it. Good choice!
Me too! Thanks for commenting, Alana!