“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
I’ve been aware of this song for some time now, but it really hit home a few weeks ago when I attended the installation service for a local pastor and he asked his worship team to perform “The Motions” by Matthew West from the album Something To Say; also on the album WoW! Hits 2010. In an industry where songs come and go, it’s a song that’s gaining momentum week by week.
“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
The song has haunted me since that morning. If that pastor means what that song says — he wants God’s all-consuming passion inside him — there is nothing that he and his church can’t accomplish in the years to come.
“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
What’s true for that pastor is true for all of us. What might we feel at the end of the ride called life if and when we realize there’s so much more we could have done? So much time that could have been better spent? So many resources that could have been put to better use?
“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
Matthew West invited fans to comment on his website as to how the song has impacted them. So far, over 2,870 comments! On the HearItFirst.com website, you can select a video where Matthew tells the story of 18-year old Ryan from Oklahoma, a young man who posted the lyrics on his Facebook page and asked his friends to hold him accountable to that song; just before he was killed — the same day — in a car accident. The song became the central theme for his funeral.
“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
Here are the lyrics:
This might hurt, it’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care if I break,
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of lifeI don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
“What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?”No regrets, not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life‘Cause I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
“What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?”Take me all the way (take me all the way)
Take me all the way (’cause I don’t wanna go through the motions)
Take me all the way (I know I’m finally feeling something real)
Take me all the way
Here’s the song on YouTube including clips from Matthew’s (ouch!) vocal surgery:
Why did I write this post today? Because…
“I don’t want to spend my whole life asking, ‘What if I had given everything?'”
Thinking Out Loud 
beautiful post, paul…THAT’S the abandonment i’m talking about.
Comment by randy morgan — October 21, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
Because that song is so popular right now I hear it several times a day on my Christian radio station (KLOVE) Inevitably it plays while I drive my two pre-teen guys to school and it sparks an interesting conversation every time.
For me too, this song made me re-think my days and the way I let minutes slip through my fingers unredeemed.
Comment by Cynthia — October 21, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
I love this song but I’ve never let the words really sink in but I will hear it differently after reading this post. Thanks Paul.
Comment by Issy — October 22, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
Amen. The song is powerful and the cry of my heart. I appreciate the honesty (as opposed to some of the usual “fluffy” and nebulous nature of contemporary Christian music)
Comment by Victor — October 23, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
It is so true – I am so glad this song made it on the 2010 WOW cd -http://www.hearitfirst.com/wow/
Comment by Hather — October 28, 2009 @ 9:06 pm
I got the new WOW HITS 2010 CD. His song “The Motions” is so amazing. It really touches me.
There’s a cool promotion going on with that CD too. You can win a CD for every day of the year.
Here’s a link – http://hearitfirst.com/wow
Comment by John Q — November 5, 2009 @ 8:09 pm
This song is so amazing. The song lineup on this WOW 2010 album is superb.
Comment by Janean Campbell — November 6, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
Cannot wait to listen to the WOW 2010 . Follow the progress on the official link below.
http://www.wowilovechristianmusic.com/
Comment by Pattie — November 9, 2009 @ 1:20 pm
This is an amazing song. I agree, reading the lyrics really makes them hit home even more. I hope all of us can try to more fully give ourselves to Christ instead of just “going through the motions”. To listen to other songs from WOW hits 2010, go to http://www.wowilovechristianmusic.com.
Comment by Melanie Fry — November 9, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
Glad this song made it to the WOW 2010 cd! Awesome reflections on the song – The WOW cd would be a great addition to any collection
Comment by Kirby — December 15, 2009 @ 2:19 am
http://www.wowilovechristianmusic.com/
Comment by Kirby — December 15, 2009 @ 3:05 am
Every single one of the recent comment posts here ends with a post back to the Wow I Love Christian Music site. Is someone paying all of you? Is it a contest?
Comment by paulthinkingoutloud — December 15, 2009 @ 8:59 am
This is a link to another look at the song a few years later, on July 26, 2012.
Pingback by Speaking To Yourselves in Spiritual Songs « Christianity 201 — July 26, 2012 @ 6:10 pm