Nothing We Can Do
I was inspired to write this song after I got the news that a friend/mentor of mine had just disqualified himself from ministry. I was heartbroken. This was the second worship leader that I looked up to that had fallen into sexual immorality within the past 4 years. I was struck with fear and doubts about my own faith and standing with God. How could I succeed in ministry, or even in living a faithful life of worshipping God, if those men couldn’t?
This sent me spiralling into introspection and awakened a deep desire for the renewal of my mind. After reading many Scriptures about fighting sin and pursuing the work of the Lord, I started praying for our church and writing this song.
Nothing We Can Do is both a petition (a prayer/appeal) and a confession to God. When we sing this song, we are asking God to renew every part of us for His glory and service, because we are helpless to do this in our own strength.
Titus 2:11-14 says, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”
We sing this song because we want to cultivate being “a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” Let’s sing this together and make these words our prayer to God for His glory to be done in our lives.
Lyrics:
VERSE 1
Pave away our heart of stone
Replace our will with yours alone (Ezekiel 11:19 / Mark 14:36)
Make open hands, out of our fists
And let your grace be on our lips (Psalm 119:171)
Purify our soiled minds
That every thought we’d sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2 / Titus 2:14)
Take filthy rags, our petty gifts
And clothe us in your righteousness (Isaiah 64:6 / Isaiah 61:10)
CHORUS
Oh Lord, it’s only you
Who will renew
There’s nothing like your presence
There’s nothing we can do (Romans 12:1-2 / Hebrews 4:16)
So Lord, we come to you
To be renewed
There’s nothing like your presence
There’s nothing we can do (Exodus 33:14 / James 4:8-10)
VERSE 2
Spirit guide our wandering eyes
To look to you, to satisfy (Psalm 119:10)
Teach deafened ears to hear your voice
And cancel out all other noise (John 8:47 / 2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Place in us a zealous soul
And stir our cups to overflow (Titus 2:14 / Ephesians 3:14-21)
Purge apathy from every choice
It’s deepening the endless void (Romans 12:11 / Revelation 3:16)
BRIDGE
You say our weakness just completes your strength (2 Corinthians 12:9)
You turned our mourning into songs of praise (Psalm 30:11-12)
Standing here surrounded by your grace (Ephesians 2:8)
We cry for joy and pray we don’t lose faith (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Lord, help us bow before your throne
We starve our souls when we don’t go to you
To be renewed
There’s nothing like your presence
There’s nothing we can do…
