Words and music by Carolyn Arends and Brad Crisler“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
No one ever overcomes the dark with darkness
It takes a little light to chase the shadows back
So tell me why I try to fight the hate with hatred
When only love can do that
When I’m in this hole I just keep digging deeper
And when I lose my way I circle ’round this track
Trying to mend my heart with all the things that break it
When only love can do that
Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that
Well I could swear sometimes it seems like I’m in quicksand
Or like I’m sinking fast in water cold and black
I go deeper down the more I try to save me
Guess only love can do that
Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that
Well I have heard it said that you might be the answer
And it occurs to me — that could be a fact
‘Cause it was you who gave your life up for another
And only love can do that
Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that
Inc./Waltztime Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
THUS THE BATTLE!
I have a battle in my heart… everyone does… to respond to life and people with LOVE or AGGRESSION (anger, fear, hate all being under the banner of aggression).
The more I think about my God and my people the less I have a selfish pull to respond with aggression. The more I seek to live by the Spirit the less often I find hills to die on. Do I want to win at the cost of others? I am coming to a place where I don’t.
It is not easy to choose love,…there is always a cost…
it is painful to learn selflessness because it requires constant sacrifice, and never stops for it is a continual choice in each and every situation and with each and every person…
it is painful treading water, trying to not sink when those you seek to love repeatedly try to pull you under…
I can’t seem to find the words… I can’t say it as clearly as Carolyn so I include her amazing lyrics… I have been feeling her words in my spirit long before I heard them and so when I listened to this song called ‘Only Love’ I weep in relief and agreement.
There really is no other option!
…for we don’t win if we think only of ourselves
…we don’t win if we live out of an aggressive nature
…we don’t win by force
We win by surrender!
Christ alone can win so let him win in your life!
THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS AND THE VICTORY IS OURS!
p.s. It struck me as I worked on this post how frightening it is to love and live like this because we have to trust that Jesus will have our back… we can’t worry about protecting ourselves! I AM AFRAID but ‘perfect love casts out all fear’ and ‘he has not given us a spirit of fear’!
TTFN
i like her too. we used one of her songs for our wedding. 🙂
beautiful song!
love it. love wins.
Great lines, especially to try and conquer hate with hate. Very well written the both of you. Love MOM