Matt Maher - As Good As It Gets Lyrics
Lyrics
Remember the joy that would come without warning
Opened your eyes woke you up on a Saturday morning
I remember
Running outside to a world with no fear
With wide open spaces and summers that lasted for years
I remember it clear
These days all I feel Is a longing all too real
But you take my eyes
Off of the future
You lead my heart
Out of the past
You are the promise
Here in the moment
Where I find my rest
You are as good as it gets
There have been days that I wished would be over
No margin to give just the strength to roll over
I remember
Thinking that all my best days were behind me
Tomorrow would come rushing in like some kind of Prince Charming
I remember it clear
These days what I feel
In the struggle
You are real
You take my eyes
Off of the future
You lead my heart
Out of the past
You are the promise
Here in the moment
Where I find my rest
You are as good as it gets
You make it easy
You make it easy
You take my eyes
Off of the future
You lead my heart
Out of the past
You are the promise
Here in the moment
Where I find my rest
This is as good as it gets
Video
Matt Maher - As Good as It Gets (Official Audio)
Meaning & Inspiration
Matt Maher’s "As Good As It Gets," released on September 29, 2017, serves as a poignant anthem of finding contentment and peace amidst life's inevitable challenges. The song opens with a vivid recollection of childhood innocence, evoking the simple joys and boundless optimism of days when "the joy would come without warning" and summers seemed to stretch out endlessly. This nostalgic yearning for a time free from fear and present anxieties highlights a universal human experience of looking back to a perceived simpler past. However, Maher masterfully pivots from this remembrance to the present reality, acknowledging the "longing all too real" that often accompanies adulthood.
The central message of "As Good As It Gets" lies in its profound reorientation of focus. Maher articulates a turning point where a divine presence intervenes, redirecting the singer’s attention away from the uncertainties of the future and the regrets of the past. This act of divine redirection is not just a change of perspective; it is presented as the source of true rest and fulfillment. The lyrics repeatedly emphasize a finding of solace "here in the moment," a powerful echo of the biblical principle found in Philippians 4:6-7, which encourages casting all our anxieties on God because He promises His peace to guard our hearts and minds. The song's core declaration, "You are as good as it gets," signifies an ultimate satisfaction found not in external circumstances, but in the unchanging nature of God's promise and presence.
Further developing this theme, Maher reflects on days clouded by despair, where the struggle was so consuming that one could barely "roll over," and the sense that "all my best days were behind me" felt overwhelmingly true. This imagery resonates deeply with the Psalms, particularly Psalm 30:5, which speaks of God’s anger being but for a moment, and His favor lasting a lifetime, noting that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. The song suggests that when we feel utterly depleted, the strength to simply persevere comes from an external source. This "you" in the song—the one who offers the promise and the rest—is unequivocally God, the steadfast Rock and deliverer.
The repeated phrase, "You make it easy," might initially seem to contradict the idea of struggle, but it signifies a spiritual ease that transcends physical or emotional comfort. It speaks to the grace that undergirds the Christian walk, as described in Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This divine assistance transforms the struggle, making it bearable and even purposeful. Ultimately, "As Good As It Gets" is a testament to the transformative power of centering one's life on God. It moves beyond the transient joys of memory and the anxieties of anticipation to embrace the profound and lasting peace found in surrendering to His presence and trusting in His unfailing goodness, recognizing that in Him, we have found all that truly matters.