Mark Schultz - I Gave Up Lyrics
Lyrics
I gave up all my striving
I gave up living lies
I gave up analyzing if I measure up or if I'm right
I gave up criticizing
I gave up being right
I gave up always trying to be good enough in some people's eyes
Chorus:
Well I don't need a house on top of the world
I like the car I'm driving
Everything I got ain't what I'm worth
That's not the reason I'm living
I don't need to see my name in lights or leave any grand impression
I've got everything I need in life 'cause love's all we're taking to heaven
I gave up comprising
I gave up all my pride
I gave up justifying and found who I was in my savior's eyes
Chorus
Always working, never stopping, talking on the cell phone
Never find the time to get away and leave the work load
Run around in circles just to keep up with the Jones
Even in the 9 to 5 all I really know is'?
I don't need a house on top of the world
I like the car I'm driving
Everything I got ain't what I'm worth
That's not the reason I'm living
I don't need a house on top of the world
I like the car I'm driving
Everything I got ain't what I'm worth
That's not the reason I'm living
I don't need to see my name in lights or leave any grand impression
I've got everything I need in life 'cause love's all we're taking to heaven
I gave up all my striving
I gave up living lies
I gave up justifying and found who I was in my savior's eyes
I gave up x 2
Oh I gave up
I gave up
Oh yea!
Video
I Gave Up by Mark Schultz with lyrics
Meaning & Inspiration
Mark Schultz's powerful anthem, "I Gave Up," released on September 4, 2012, as part of his album *All Things Possible*, serves as a profound declaration of liberation from the relentless pressures of worldly striving. The song immediately plunges into the narrative of someone shedding the burdens of performance, self-justification, and the exhausting pursuit of external validation. It’s a testament to the transformative peace found when one surrenders the ceaseless quest to "measure up" and instead embraces an identity rooted in something far more enduring.
The core meaning of "I Gave Up" resonates deeply with the human experience of striving for perfection, both in our own eyes and in the judgment of others. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of this common struggle, detailing the act of relinquishing "striving," "living lies," and the constant "analyzing if I measure up or if I'm right." This speaks directly to the soul-wearying cycle of trying to earn approval and maintain an image, a struggle that Scripture often addresses. For instance, Galatians 2:16 reminds us that "a person is not justified by works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ," underscoring the futility of our own efforts to achieve righteousness. Similarly, the act of giving up "criticizing" and "being right" highlights a crucial step toward humility, a quality extolled in Philippians 2:3, which advises us to "in humility count others more significant than yourselves." The relinquishment of "always trying to be good enough in some people's eyes" echoes Proverbs 29:25, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." This surrender isn't about apathy but about re-centering one's worth outside of shifting human opinion.
The song’s chorus then articulates the newfound freedom and redefined priorities that emerge from this surrender. The lines "I don't need a house on top of the world, I like the car I'm driving, Everything I got ain't what I'm worth, That's not the reason I'm living" boldly declare a departure from materialism and societal benchmarks of success. This perspective aligns with Matthew 6:19-21, which urges us not to "store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven." The realization that "everything I got ain't what I'm worth" perfectly captures the truth that our value is intrinsic, bestowed by a Creator, not accumulated through possessions or achievements. The declaration "I don't need to see my name in lights or leave any grand impression" further cements this shift away from worldly ambition, resonating with Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." The profound culmination of this message arrives with "I've got everything I need in life 'cause love's all we're taking to heaven," a powerful summary of eternal perspective, mirroring 1 Corinthians 13:13: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." It reorients our purpose toward what truly lasts.
Moving deeper into the journey of surrender, the subsequent verses introduce the pivotal spiritual turning point: "I gave up comprising, I gave up all my pride, I gave up justifying and found who I was in my savior's eyes." This section illuminates the Christian understanding of identity. Giving up "comprising" speaks to a commitment to spiritual integrity, refusing to dilute one's convictions for convenience or acceptance. The surrender of "pride" is a foundational Christian principle, as Proverbs 16:18 warns, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." The ultimate breakthrough comes in giving up "justifying," recognizing the futility of self-vindication, and instead discovering one's true identity "in my savior's eyes." This phrase encapsulates the core of salvation, where our worth is not earned but given through grace, as Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." To find who we are in the Savior's eyes means to understand that we are deeply loved, forgiven, and inherently valuable, not for what we do, but for whose we are, as Romans 5:8 beautifully puts it, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
The bridge of the song then paints a relatable picture of the modern-day "rat race" – "Always working, never stopping, talking on the cell phone, Never find the time to get away and leave the work load, Run around in circles just to keep up with the Jones." This vivid imagery highlights the exhaustive nature of a life consumed by earthly pursuits and comparisons. It's a poignant reminder of the burdens many carry, contrasting sharply with the peace offered through surrender. This frantic pace often leaves us "heavy laden," a state Jesus directly addresses in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The song powerfully argues that this incessant striving ultimately leaves us empty, an echo of Luke 12:15, where Jesus cautions, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." The repeated affirmation in the chorus after this bridge solidifies the song's message: the only true rest and fulfillment come from letting go of the world's demands and embracing the unwavering truth of God’s love and purpose. "I Gave Up" ultimately encourages each of us to examine what we cling to, inviting us to surrender our striving and find genuine freedom, peace, and identity in the grace of our Savior.