I wrote this song during an eight week worship songwriting workshop. I have found that having deadlines to meet really helps me finish songs. If I have unlimited time with no deadline I have trouble acquiring the focus that is needed and it can take me months. As soon as I have a deadline to meet I can finish it with no problem. I wrote this one in about two days.
When I write, 99% of the time, it starts with my acoustic guitar. I play around until I find a chord progression that sounds good to me and then try to figure out how to play the progression in a way that is unique to what I'm feeling. After that, a melody starts coming into my mind and eventually the first line of the song comes pretty easily.
In this case it was the first verse, "When the weight is heavy on your weary soul and it's a painful struggle just to get through the day" I have experienced plenty of days like that and I felt like it is an experience that most of us can relate to.
This line led me to think about Matthew 11:28 - 30,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
That scripture inspired the next line, "We have a loving friend in Jesus who says put down your yoke and I'll walk along with you every step of the way"
After that I thought of the story about the Samaritan woman at the well. In John 4:10 Jesus says "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
This inspired the pre chorus and the chorus, "He's got a well of hope for your thirsty soul and it will spring on up and overflow" "with living water, the everlasting love of our Father and in this world of ever changing uncertainty you can know that you will never walk alone."
The second verse came from Romans 8:38-39, "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
It goes, "When the darkness comes and it feels like you cant break free, He'll be right there with you shining His guiding light cause nothing has the power to ever separate us from His constant flowing stream of never ending grace."
On the second and last choruses I felt like I needed to add an extra line and thought of the parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15:11-32. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015%3A11-32&version=NIV
So I added "No matter how far you stray you'll always be welcome home"
I hope this song encourages you to know that you are not alone in the struggles of life. Jesus is always there to take on the load of our burdens when we invite Him to and the grace of God is always available to us when we acknowledge that we need it.