Lyrics
Verse 1
It's hard for me to believe
That I've got nothing to prove
I thought this dirt on my hands
Was gonna keep me from You
I fall as much as I rise
Feel like my walk is a crawl
When I'm alone in the night
Won't You leave the light on
Chorus
'Cause I've been reckless with my heart
Now I'm falling apart
I don't wanna be the same
I need You to be the change
I surrender all I am
I know I've made mistakes
But the past will wash away
Oh, do whatever it takes
Verse 2
Thought I was never enough
Hurt has a way of its own
But I can lift up my eyes
And know that You're in control
Sometimes I won't get it right
I'm gonna stumble and fall
But when I'm alone in the night
I know You'll leave the light on
Outro
Oh oh oh (Repeat)
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
"Whatever It Takes" opens with a difficult admission, disbelief that nothing remains to prove, and confessing to feeling permanently marked by past failure rather than already accepted. That honest struggle to receive grace frames the entire song around resistance rather than easy confidence.
Its later verses admit inconsistency directly, a walk more like a crawl, recklessness with the heart, feeling perpetually insufficient, before asking God to be the source of change rather than relying on self-improvement. Repeating the request "do whatever it takes" treats total transformation as something only God can accomplish, regardless of what that process requires.
Rooted in contemporary worship's confessional style, the song functions as a prayer of surrender amid ongoing struggle, its recurring image of a light left on through the night picturing God's steady presence even when the singer's own progress remains uneven and incomplete.
Related Scripture
- Romans 12:1-2 Describes offering oneself for transformation and renewal, echoed in the song's surrender and request to be changed.
- Philippians 1:6 Expresses confidence that God will complete the work he began, echoed in the song's trust that God will do whatever it takes to finish that change.