I was 25 years old when the song “I Won’t Back Down” sang by Tom Petty first came out. It quickly became one of my favorites and today, 25 years later I still I found myself still jamming to it in my car.

Well I know what’s right, I got just one life

In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down

Hey baby… there ain’t no easy way out
Heeeey I… will stand… my ground
And I won’t back down
No, I won’t back down

I grew up listening to Rock music. Some of my favorites were Aerosmith, REO, Journey, Styx, and Pat Benetar, with Tom Petty being top of that list.  I had the album (Full Moon Fever)  and later in life I bought it again on CD which I still have. (for you youngsters CD stands for compact disk,)

Nowadays instead of listening to Rock music, most of the time you will find me listening to Christian music. I don’t listen to Christian music because I think it’s the only type of music a Christian should listen to, I listen to it because it tends to keep me grounded and keeps God more in the front of my mind but every now and then I still drag out the old CD’s or turn my radio on the oldies station.  (I am admitting here today that I am old enough for my generation’s music to be called and ‘oldie‘ please do not tell anyone I said that 🙂 ) Have you ever noticed how a song you loved from your past will usually lighten your mood? Today my car radio was on the oldies station but I wasn’t really paying much attention to it because I had just left an appointment with my orthopedic doctor.   His news wasn’t the best of news and I was feeling pretty low.

So there I was…Driving down the road, telling God that I was not really happy about what is going on  in my life right now.  I was telling him  I was feeling exhausted and had had enough of all the health issues.  As I was blabbering I heard Tom Petty’s voice singing ‘I Won’t Back Down’.  As I just said, I used to  love this song.

Reach out – Grab volume control – TURN IT UP!

I hadn’t heard that song in a while and the longer it played I found myself  thinking about how God is here with me through everything and how I can’t be giving up. I can not be letting the things of this world be pushing me around.  It wasn’t to long and I found myself singing along loudly, “In a world that keeps on pushing me around….I won’t back down!”

Not too much longer after that I went and had a good long visit with God.

Though the song says I won’t back down, the first thing I knew I had to do was I did have to back down.  I had to back down from hanging on to my anger, my fear and trying to control the situation. I had to back down and know that I am not the one in control.  Though I did already know this, once again I had to be reminded.  Once again I found my self realizing I had to back down and let God be the one in control.

No matter how tough life can be I know God is tough too.

I have heard the term he will meet you right where you are at and today what I saw was exactly that,

Today he met me in a Tom Petty song because that is what it took for me to listen to him. God speaks in many ways and sometimes its in places I would never expect to find him.

After all these years I still like Tom Petty music and tonight the thought crossed my mind… I wonder if God likes Tom Petty’s music?  I do know that he used Tom’s music to catch my attention today because just a few minutes before hearing that song I had cried out for God to help me and he did.

Today God gave me exactly what I needed to tackle another day and I know he will continue to give me what I need as each day comes.  With God on my side I know I will always have his strength and will never ever have to back down.

If you haven’t heard the song I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty here it is….

Have a blessed day and thanks for reading,

T