HARD LOVE

“It’s not enough to just feel the flame, you've got to burn your old self away”     

    The Hard love album is a completely different sound and style than the rest of NeedToBreathe’s music. Yet, just like the rest of their work, it is insightful, inspiring, and powerful. It speaks from the heart of the artists to the heart of the listener. Every song is fun yet speaks about love in a way everyone does, or should, think about.

    The second song on this album is called Hard Love, which is where the album’s name comes from. To me, this song is about becoming the best version of you and accepting God’s love for you. When I first heard this song, I just thought it was a cool song. It took me a few listens to truly appreciate and understand what was going on. If you are looking for it, it is hard to miss.

   

“Trading punches with the heart of darkness, going to blows with your fear incarnate. Never know it till it’s stripped away, a part of you has to die to change”

    As we struggle to keep our hearts pure, sometimes it seems as if our hearts are becoming dark. Sometimes it seems like our fears and temptations have become real. It's almost as if they are a person that we have to literally fight. We could lose this fight. We might not even realize until it is already over, and part of us is dead because of it. Whether it is for good or bad, “a part of you has to die to change.” Sometimes that is a bad part or something we don’t like about ourselves, but sometimes it is a good part, maybe a friendship, good habit, something that helps, or brings us joy. If we do not realize it before it is gone, then we are going to change, for good or bad. Either way, if something about you is going to change, a part of you has to die.

    “In the morning, your gon’ need an answer. Aint nobody gonna change the standard. It’s not enough to just feel the flame, you've got to burn your old self away”

    I had to think about this one for a minute, “In the morning your gon’ need an answer.” Sometimes when I am faced with a difficult decision, I don't want to decide, I put it off, and make excuses, but there is going to come a day that I have to make the decision. “Aint nobody gonna changes the standard.” I often want others to make the decision for me, or change the rules so it is easier. I have been discerning priesthood for probably close to six years now. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked people what they thought or told God if this happens, then I will, hoping that something will change. Though I know that ultimately, it comes down to me making a choice and seeing what happens. I think other people do this as well, maybe you realize that you need to change that one thing about yourself, but you don't want to so you just assume people just won’t care. “It's not enough to just feel the flame, you've gotta burn your old self away.” This is my favorite line in the whole song, maybe even the whole album. It’s not enough to just say you are going to do something or to just kind do something. It’s ok to start out slow, but eventually, you have to give all you have, have to burn the old to get the new. I can’t just keep saying I’m going to pray and think about the priesthood, I have to do something. I can’t just keep feeling to flame. This could also relate to this bible passage in Romans 6:4, “Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

    “Hold on tight a little longer. What don't kill ya, makes you stronger.”

This pretty much speaks for itself. Have you ever been running and you are running really fast, you start to get tired, and you want to slow down, but you know it's a mental game and you can push yourself just little longer. This is true for everything, maybe you are trying to break a bad habit, or you are trying to write a paper or do math homework.  Just a little longer, and you will get it. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger, I can attest to that fact. Every hard thing I’ve ever done has helped me grow in ways I never thought I could. It reminds me of a quote that goes: “The Will of God will not take you where the grace of God will not protect you.”

    “Get back up ‘cause it’s a hard love. You can’t change without a fallout it’s gon’ hurt, but you can slow down, get back up”

    The road is going to suck sometimes, like anything worth doing. It is going to hurt. Love hurts, and that's good because you know you are doing it right. Like I said earlier, something big is going to happen you have to have a fallout. If you have ever seen anyone be really close to “rock bottom,” but maybe aren't all the way there yet, you almost want something else to happen because you know once they hit the bottom they will want to change. It’s going to hurt, but keep going. If it is good for you, then it is worth the pain. Sometimes we need a Hard Love.

“You know the situation can’t be right, and all you ever do is a fight, but there’s a reason that road is long. It takes some time to make your courage strong.”

    At times, it can be pretty clear that something needs to change, or something isn’t right, but all we do is fight that feeling, we fight because we think we aren't ready to change or it hurts too much. Sometimes the road seems so long like it’s never going to end. Change takes time. You cannot fix something overnight. In the moment, everything seems longer like it is taking forever, but don’t wait for it to be over. Instead, live in that moment because once it is gone, it is gone. Then when you look back on it, it will be as if it was no time at all, and you'll want it back. Use the time that is given to you to build your courage.

    “When the wolves come and hunt me down, I will face them off and stand my ground. ‘Cause there is a fire burnin’ in me. They will see my strength in this love I found.”

    Once you have started you change or started becoming the best person you can be and strengthened your relationship with Christ, the devil is going to use things to stop you. That might look like your thoughts, your fears, your insecurities, or that might look like another person. Don’t let it get in your way. Stand strong because once people notice the joy and love you have in your heart and soul, then they will not be able to stop you and they will know it. This is a true strength in love. A strength that can overcome fear, hate, and doubt, a strength that can overcome anything. Just ask God for this love and strength.

The rest of the song repeats what has already been said. This song is the anthem to self-freedom. An anthem to what we can do with God if we focus and change the things that lead us away from him. We all need Christ in our lives, and once we fully give our lives to him and accept his love, we can and will overcome anything! These are just my thoughts, but maybe this means something different to you.

Just my thoughts

Go with God 
Duncan