TobyMac Says Tragedy Brought Him ‘Closer’ to God: ‘He’s There’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Christian artist TobyMac recently revealed that his relationship with God has grown stronger since the death of his son in 2019.
“Everybody grieves differently,” the singer explained.
“The only advice I would have is you might question God’s sovereignty. And I think you need to — I think you need to figure out that God gives and takes away, and you have to be okay with that,” he told Christian Headlines.
“And once you’re okay with that, I think your faith actually increases greatly. I found myself to be closer to God in the last three years than I ever have in my life. And I wouldn’t wish it on anybody, of course, but I had to figure out and really believe that God is sovereign, and I had to trust that and then look for Him in the hard places — like really look, and He’s there. That’s the thing — He’s there,” he said.
In October 2019, the singer lost his 21-year-old son, Truett, to an accidental overdose.
“I will forever be a different man. I thought, honestly, with my five kids and my bride, that I had the perfect life. And we’re really messy now. It’s not so neat anymore,” he told PEOPLE in 2022.
“We don’t follow God because we have some sort of under-the-table deal with Him, like, we’ll follow you if you bless us,” he said in an Instagram post. “We follow God because we love Him. It’s our honor. He is the God of the hills and the valleys. And He is beautiful above all things.”
Since his son’s death, TobyMac has processed his grief through his music. His song “21 Years” honored Truett. “Until something in life hits you this hard, you never know how you will handle it. I am thankful that I have been surrounded by love, starting with God’s and extending to community near and far that have walked with us and carried us every day,” he wrote on Facebook.
“One thing I know is that I am not alone. God didn’t promise us a life of no pain or even tragic death, but He did promise He would never leave us or forsake us. And I’m holding dearly to that promise for my son as well as myself,” he continued.
TobyMac’s album, ‘Life After Death,’ chronicles his “journey from the depths of the deepest valley to the beauty of God’s promise that He will never leave us. Ain’t no doubt about it, He is still the goodness in my life.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
Christian artist TobyMac is sharing the personal inspirations behind his latest album, Life After Death.
“This one was hard,” he told CBN News. Life After Death was his first album in three years.
“I [took] three years because I like to live a little bit of life and experience some things,” TobyMac — real name: Toby McKeehan — explained of his hiatus. “That’s about when I live enough life to write a record about it.”
Life After Death was also a way for TobyMac to process the 2019 death of his son, Truett Foster McKeehan, who passed away after an accidental overdose of fentanyl and amphetamines.
“Most of the songs are about the journey from losing him, to where I am today,” McKeehan explained. “I’m thankful that God is in the hardest places and that He meets us in the deepest valleys.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
