Switch is the student ministry of Life.Church., based in Edmond, Oklahoma. They recently released Better View, Part I EP as a follow-up to their full-length debut album, Symphony. The latest release is Better View, Part II EP and it includes the standout song, “Letting Go.” The band’s catalog contains a mix of worship and upbeat pop songs, including “Better View,” “Good Friend,” “Count Me In” and “Symphony.”

A theme that Switch weaves throughout their albums is about remembering our identity of who we are in Christ. Better View represents God's role in the life of the believer and our calling to “walk by faith and not by sight.” I had the chance to speak with Cassidy Estevez, Switch member and Ministry Leader of Worship Arts at Life.Church., about their catchy new song, “Letting Go.”

This song was the last song we wrote in the songwriting session from our trip where we wrote a lot the songs for Better View. It was a summation of all the different topics we were processing from the stories we were hearing from students and pastors, that God had put on our hearts. Going through the verses and chorus is kind of like going through a stream of consciousness conversation.

It comes from this place of raw conversation with God, asking hard questions, realizing God is trustworthy even when we don’t necessarily know where His plans are leading us, and this conversation with God admitting we never really had control of our situations, and that we are holding on to these things that I can see with my eyes, and feel with my hands, but what I want to do is open up my hands and allow God to do what is better. His ways are higher than our ways. The song is a conversation with God. As we ask these questions of God, He makes it very clear that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Romans 8:28 (VOICE): “We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV): "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."

Proverbs 16:9 (MSG): “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.”

Philippians 4:6 (VOICE): “Don't be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come.”

Philippians 4:7 (NKJV): "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

James 1:18-19 (VOICE): "We have a special role in His plan. He calls us to life by His message of truth so that we will show the rest of His creatures His goodness and love. Listen, open your ears, harness your desire to speak, and don't get worked up into a rage so easily, my brothers and sisters."

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV): "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV): “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV): But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV): "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

What is the takeaway message?

When we try to control the outcome of our circumstances of anxiety or whatever we are facing in our lives, it gets heavy and weighs us down. The reason for that is it was never our burden to hold. Instead, we are supposed to trust God and let Him carry our burdens. That is the lighter and easier and free way of living. You must come to a conscious place where you are willing to ask God to come and abolish anything we have planned that is not of Him. Replace all my plans with Your plans. It is a weighty surrender, asking God to wreck our plans. His plans are so much better. I have experienced that in my life.

We wrote this album for anyone who is struggling with questions, especially for the students and young adults from our church family. They're the first generation that's growing up with exposure to unfiltered hardships across the world and social media comparison as a part of everyday life. We wrote these songs to help them navigate these difficulties with a faith perspective.

Lyrics:

Did I ever have control
Or just anxiety
Did I ever really know
What the point
Was supposed to be
Was I close enough
And did I mess it up
Trying to do this on my own

Feels like maybe
Something’s missing
I’m asking You to
Show me there’s
A bigger picture

Even with these questions
I open up my hands
Come and wreck my plans
While I’m waiting
I will worship
I trust You’re in control
Come and make me whole
I’m letting go

Maybe I don’t have to see
What the future holds
To trust Your promises to me
In my weakness
You are strong
And in the moments when
I feel powerless
You are closest to me then

Even with these questions
I open up my hands
Come and wreck my plans
While I’m waiting
I will worship
I trust You’re in control
Come and make me whole
I’m letting go
I’m letting go

Maybe You’re not keeping secrets
And all I need to do
Is ask for Your perspective
You’re showing me
The bigger picture
Sorry for the times
I’ve missed it

Even with these questions
I open up my hands
Come and wreck my plans
While I’m waiting
I will worship
I trust You’re in control
Come and make me whole
I’m letting go
I’m letting go

Closing Thoughts

God tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything in Christ. I'm completely convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song filled with biblical truth. We can face our daily battles with more courage and strength because we know that whatever the outcome, based on His promise in Romans 8:28, "God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

“Letting Go” challenges me to think about what I'm allowing to rule in my heart instead of giving myself completely to God. This song is all about trusting in God and confessing to Him and others when you fail or have struggles.

Lay your doubts and struggles at the feet of Jesus, and He'll take them from you and release you from those burdens. God wants to hear from you. We're called as Christians to believe in the freedom that we have on the cross of Jesus. We're free from our addictions, insecurities, and perfectionism. Jesus came to die for us so that we can all truly live in Him.

This is a great and challenging song for believers. We raise our hands to celebrate and surrender, and lift our hands in confidence to God, and know that His mercy is unfailing. His love is never-ending. He is our refuge and our strength. 

God's ultimate will is to not bring affliction upon us but to us so that we may experience His unfailing love. God doesn't promise to spare us from pain, but He does promise that He’ll walk us through it. So, we must trust and wait on Him.

Wait for God to orchestrate the plans for your life. You have nothing to bring to God. Maybe you expect something in return, instead of recognizing that nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus. Faith is when we are empty of ourselves and filled with Him and His Holy Spirit.

All we can do is submit to Him and give everything we have to Him. According to God's Word in Jeremiah 29:13, we need to search for God with all our heart, and then we will find Him. In our fast-paced society, how often are we dedicating our whole hearts to God? Do we offer up half-hearted prayers, or do we seek Him with all our heart?

This song is such a great song and anthem of praise. The song is a daily prayer asking God to come and change our hearts and change our lives in such a way that our behavior and the way we live flows from God living inside of us as believers. What a powerful expression of what it means to accept that God never leaves or forsakes us as His followers. He is all we need. God tells us in the Bible that with faith, we can do anything in Christ. One of the lessons I've seen about life is that we shouldn't wait to fix ourselves before we step out in faith. Look for ways to obey God and to offer your faith to Him. By reading the Bible every day, God wants us to have a daily reminder not to be afraid.

Lift your voice and life to God and submit to Him. My hope for this song is for people to pray along and live out the truth behind these words. Our thoughts are constantly under attack by the enemy. This song is a great way to submit to God and commit yourself to Him. The Bible says to trust in what God says about us, no matter how we feel about ourselves. With many areas in our lives, especially as we’ve faced this coronavirus pandemic, we spend a lot of time worrying, living in fear and with anxiety. We need to let that go and allow the Lord to be our Redeemer. Cassidy writes and sings her breath, given to her by God, into anointed new songs for the church. You'll be blessed by this powerful song which is a stand-out anthem with a convicting declaration: “Maybe You’re not keeping secrets/And all I need to do is ask for Your perspective/You’re showing me the bigger picture/Sorry for the times I’ve missed it.” Amen to that.