Matthew West Shares Story That Reminded Him God’s With Us ‘Every Step’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Christian artist Matthew West recently shared how a moment with a stranger reminded him of God’s presence in our lives.
West’s story began in 2020 while he was on tour. Shortly before a show, he was told that they were shutting down because of COVID-19 concerns.
“We were all thrown into a panic,” he recalled. “I went into survival mode.”
West booked a flight home and called an Uber. While riding to the airport, the singer was still filled with anxiety.
“There’s all these thoughts, questions, fears, worries, panic, just washing over me. I’m finding it hard to breathe, you know?” he said. “But then the craziest thing happened. About 30 minutes into that drive to the airport, a song came on the Uber driver’s radio and it was a familiar song. It was mine.”
West continued, “All of a sudden, I’m singing back to me, ‘You’re the God who stays.’ But that wasn’t all — the Uber driver…was driving down the road, a smile on his face, singing every word of my song back to me, by heart.”
West started singing along with the driver, who hilariously did not realize he was riding with the singer of the song, and began to forget his worries.
“For the rest of that drive to the airport, I forgot all about the things that were making me panic,” West concluded. “Instead, I talked to Arthur the Uber driver, and he told me why that song meant so much to him. He said, ‘I’ve been through many hard things, but that song reminds me that there’s one who’s been with me every step of the way.’”
The singer-songwriter has previously spoken about how the COVID-19 pandemic caused him to reevaluate his commitment to his faith.
“Every year seems to be trying to beat out the year before as the craziest year ever,” he told Crosswalk. “Of course, we’re heading into an election year. As a follower of Christ, what if that was my mission — to commit to prayer and going deeper in my prayer life?”
He continued, “As a follower of Christ, I need to remember [that] if your mission is to do at least one hard thing a day, I need to do that — first things first. The hard thing is to sit down and be still and talk to God.”
West explores that theme in his latest single, “Don’t Stop Praying.”
“Every year I land on a personal theme that becomes a mission statement for my own faith journey. This year’s theme is don’t stop praying,” he wrote on Instagram. “We’ve all been to a place where discouragement can make us wonder if God really hears our prayers. I wrote this song for anybody who’s ever felt like giving up or losing their faith. I couldn’t be more excited to start the new year off with this new song. I hope it encourages anyone who hears it to join me in a commitment to prayer in 2024. Pray for our families, for our friends, for our enemies, for our nation, for our world. God hears the prayers of his people, so don’t stop praying.”
Movieguide® previously reported on the song:
Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West just released his new track, “Don’t Stop Praying.”
The lyrics seem to stem from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17, which says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
West urges his listeners to never give up on their prayers, even when it seems like all hope is lost. When it seems like your prayers could never happen, the song reminds listeners to continue trusting in God because he still works miracles.
“Dubbed by Billboard as ‘one of Christian music’s most prolific singer-songwriters,’ West is going into 2024 after a strong trajectory in 2023,” The Christian Beat reported. “Highlights include being honored with ASCAP’s prestigious Golden Note Award, presented to songwriters, composers, and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones and releasing his double album – ‘MY STORY YOUR GLORY.’”
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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.
