Song Lyrics

When my strength is gone and all I've known is striving
When your grace is just a word I’ve always sung
Will you pull me close and help me feel your wounds again
And lead me to rest

It is finished! Christ has overcome
It is finished! The work forever done
Rest again, oh my soul, be still and know
It is finished! It is finished!

When my hope is resting squarely on my shoulders
And peace is slowly slipping through my hands
Will you remind me that you’re holding my tomorrow
And lead me to rest

We will run to you
We will run to you
Jesus, you’re the one we’re longing for

When my days on earth are done and death is calling

When they lay this broken body in the grave

You will pull my weary soul from all the pain that I have known

and lead me to rest

You are my rest

Song Story

"It Is Finished” is a response to the Holy Spirit unearthing root sin in my life. I had focused for years on what I’ve begun referring to as branch sins, but often not understanding the underlying unbelief attached to and causal in those sins. I began realizing I wasn’t looking deep enough at the root issues. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit started revealing these root issues plainly to me. I began to realize the root issue of sin in my life was self-reliance. I started to understand that a central motivator in most decisions and approaches to life was my need to be self-reliant and even be seen as self-reliant. I needed to be a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” kind of guy because that’s a model I always attached to strength. I began to realize that I have no strength, but can only lean wholly on the finished work of Christ. I wrote “It Is Finished” (with the help of Seth and Pat, because nothing makes me more aware of my inability to rely on myself like song-writing…) as a form of speaking truth over my unbelief. I know in my head that Christ performed a finishing work on the cross and in his resurrection, but I never lived like I believed it. I always felt the need to add something to the cross, namely, my own effort and even perfection. The song starts with the line “when my strength is gone and all I’ve known is striving…”, that’s my story.

// Ryan Ceola