TobyMac - Love Feels Like Lyrics

Love Feels Like

Love Feels Like Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration

TobyMac's song "Love Feels Like" delves into the challenging, demanding, yet ultimately rewarding nature of genuine love. The opening verses immediately establish a sense of struggle and depletion, with lines like "I am tired, I am drained" and "I am weary, I am worn." This sets a tone of difficulty, suggesting that the kind of love being described is not effortless. The repeated phrase "This is harder than I thought" emphasizes the unexpected depth of the challenge, indicating that this love "Takin' every part of me."

Despite the depicted exhaustion and strain, the core message emerges in the chorus, defining this strenuous experience as the true feeling of love. The repetition of "This is what love feels like" anchors the central theme. The accompanying descriptors – "Poured out, used up, still givin', stretching me out to the end of my limits" – paint a vivid picture of self-sacrificial love. This isn't a passive or easy emotion; it's an active, costly commitment that demands everything from the individual. The phrase "still willin' to fight for it" reinforces the active choice and dedication involved in this kind of love.

The song uses contrasting imagery to further elaborate on this complex experience. The metaphor "Like floating confetti, the beautiful gets messy" captures how even something initially joyous or celebrated can lead to difficulty or "fall out." However, the lyrics pivot to find value in adversity, stating that "in the depths of the trenches is the richest of riches." This suggests that the deepest rewards and most profound growth are found not in ease, but within the challenges and struggles inherent in this poured-out love. The call to "Love is calling us to more" implies that this demanding love elevates and expands the individual beyond their previous capacity.

A pivotal moment in the song is the direct inclusion of the scripture reference: "And now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." This line, from 1 Corinthians 13:13, grounds the song's theme in a foundational biblical truth, identifying love as preeminent among core virtues. This reference elevates the concept of love being discussed, aligning it with a higher, perhaps divine, standard of love.

Ultimately, the song concludes by asserting the profound value of this costly love. The lines "It's worth everything you put in" affirm that the effort, sacrifice, and depletion described are not in vain. The experience of being "Poured out, used up, still givin'" is presented not as a negative consequence, but as the very essence of what this meaningful love feels like. The song's video, which visually interprets these themes, was released on August 7, 2015.