If Not For You, I'd Lose My Way

Mental health struggles often feel like wandering in a fog. When we're in there, truth is often veiled behind the lies of the world, our own flesh, and the devil. The song If Not For You is about this struggle. The lyrics admit plainly that when we're left to ourselves, our minds tend to spiral out of control, our hearts grow cold, and we mistake silence for peace. Scripture addresses these realities directly. David himself prayed, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (Psalm 42:11). This song acknowledges that cry and the many who wallow in internal turmoil, while also pointing to the only answer, Jesus Christ.

The chorus declares, “If not for You, I’d lose my way.” That is the testimony of every Christian who has been rescued by grace. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Apart from him, there is no direction, no foundation, no life. For those battling depression, anxiety, or relentless waves of doubt, this truth offers hope. Christ is not a temporary distraction. He is “the Rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2), steady when everything else shifts. The song is a reminder that he holds us fast even when our minds tell us otherwise.

One of the biggest needs for hurting people is the courage to bring their dark emotions to Christ. Many try to hide their pain, thinking it disqualifies them from real faith. But the psalms teach us that lament is not unbelief. It is our faith that cries out to God in the middle of the storm. Jesus invites us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

If Not For You urges listeners to take every twisted thought and broken emotion to the Lord, again and again, until healing begins to break through.

The reality, though, is that healing is often slow. Recently, I've taken up disc golf and after a few months of playing I've arrived at a plateau. I just don't seem to be getting any better. Some days I rock! My throws are straight, and my putts are smooth ringers. Other days, the discs just will not fly right, and frustration sets in. I feel like throwing my bag in the lake and taking up backgammon. But I don't do that. I just grit my teeth and persist. Over time, I've been able to find some breakthroughs.

When it comes to bring our mental struggles to Christ, it's the same. It's not usually a one time fix. We need to keep coming, keep confessing, keep crying out. The storms may still call our name, but our feet learn to stand firm as grace does its slow, steady work.

If Not For You is a song that meets people in the middle of the storm and directs them to safety. It acknowledges the raw reality of mental anguish and lifts the eyes to Christ who rescues, redeems, and restores. The final chorus says, “If not for You, I’d still be gone… but now I’m found, I’m clear, I see.” There's the gospel! We were fading echoes, lost songs, but Jesus set us free. I pray this song becomes a voice of hope for anyone who feels like they are sinking.

Download here (Track 7 on the album A Friend of Sinners Just Like Me).

Full Disclosure: I used AI-powered tools to both write the lyrics and create the music to this song. If that makes you cringe, read this.

LYRICS

[Verse 1]

If not for You, I’d chase the wind,

Trade truth for every passing trend.

I’d hear the silence in my mind

And call it peace while going blind.

The night would speak, and I would hear

The sound of doubt become my seer.

[Pre-Chorus]

But then Your Word became a light,

Cut through the noise, restored my sight.

[Chorus]

If not for You, I’d lose my way—

A heart unmoored in wild decay.

My mind would spiral, lost and torn,

Like a ship lost in a storm.

But You, O Christ, You hold me fast—

The only Rock that’s built to last.

[Verse 2]

I’ve seen the thoughts that twist and turn,

The lies they spark; how they burn!

Without a frame to hold the soul,

The heart grows sick, the heart grows cold

But grace broke through the prison bars

And set my mind among the stars.

[Pre-Chorus]

And now I build on solid stone,

My life, my thoughts are not my own.

[Chorus]

If not for You, I’d lose my way—

A heart unmoored in wild decay.

My mind would spiral, lost and torn,

Like ships in storms that never warn.

But You, O Christ, You hold me fast—

The only Rock that’s built to last.

[Bridge]

The world may call me fool or slave,

But I’ve been rescued from the grave.

And though the storms still call my name,

My feet stand firm, I won’t be swayed.

[Final Chorus]

If not for You, I'd still be gone,

A fading echo, one lost song.

But now I’m found, I’m clear, I see—

The mind made whole, the soul set free.

You, O Christ, You hold me fast—

The only Rock that’s built to last.