By Kayla DeKraker
For over four decades, Michael W. Smith pointed listeners to God through his music, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
But despite his success in the Christian music world, his career isn’t his identity.
“My identity is not being Michael W. Smith the artist,” the four-time Grammy winner told the Christian Post. “The things that are near and dear and more important to me are, first and foremost, my relationship with Lord. Then my family, my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my friends that I walk through life with.”
He added, “Your craft can’t be your identity. If it is, it will consume you, and not in a good way.”
Related: Michael W. Smith Reflects on Music Career: ‘Music [Can] Soothe the Soul’
Smith doesn’t let his music consume him, but he still actively writes songs that bring glory to God. His most recent single is titled “Your Love Is a Flood.”
He explained, “This song is about the overwhelming grace of God. And how, even in hard times, I wake up every day knowing I’m loved.”
For Smith, making music isn’t a career or necessity; it is a calling.
“I don’t need to make another record,” he added. “But I feel called to make this one.”
“There are so many people who can’t wrap their minds around the idea that God really loves them,” he continued. “They’re carrying trauma, legalism, guilt. And I just told [friend and collaborator] Jason [Walker], ‘This is what drives me. I know who I am. I’m loved. That’s why I can wake up every day with joy, no matter what’s going on.’”
It took him a long time to learn that lesson, though.
“In the ’80s, I dealt with a lot of guilt,” he said. “If I messed up, I’d beat myself up. I got legalistic. That’s immaturity. But as you walk with the Lord longer, you grow. You start to really understand grace. You read Scripture and realize He’s for you. He’s not looking to crush you. That changes everything.”
One of his more recent projects is a new single called “Arms Around the Sun,” which features THE CHOSEN’s Jonathan Roumie on the drums.
“He hadn’t played in a while, but he still had it. We recorded him without even telling him. He just brought this energy,” Smith said of Roumie.
In addition to these new singles, Smith has another massive project in the works. Last year, 25 top Christian artists got together to record classic worship songs for an album called House of Worship. It will release January 2026.
Smith is an example of someone who has persevered through the decades and remained faithful to what God called him to.
Read Next: Michael W. Smith Credits Parents’ Prayers For Overcoming Substance Abuse
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