Skip to main content

"Simple Pursuit" by John Long: Finding Joy in the Everyday Moments


John Long wrote "Simple Pursuit" after realizing he had spent years chasing the next big thing for God, but in the meantime his family suffered. The real grand moments aren't found on a stage (or at work), they are found in moments like at the supper table, in bedtime prayers, in the waking of children in the morning, and while standing with a brother in his laughter and sorrow. 

John Long - Simple PursuitIt's in those moments that we will find God: "My reward is knowing that you're closer than my breath." It's these moments that make us ask ourselves why we are chasing the applause when the King is already within whispering distance. Instead of building towers, John Long suggests choosing a slower, lower altar: "I will live a life that's slower… I find my joy here in the… still."

This song is one of those beautiful nudges in life, one that challenges us to trade the big race for the rhythm of "ordinary days." The lyrics point us to the real and simple sparks of revival that we may find in life, such as the breaking of bread, the wiping of tears, and reading Scripture while the rest of the house is quiet.

May this song help you to see God in the peanut butter sandwiches, the morning coffee, and those precious moments with family and loved ones. You don't need permission to stop proving yourself… Just start your simple pursuit of God in the simplest moments of your daily life.

(Related scripture: Psalm 23:1; Psalm 46:10; Acts 2:46)

Connect with John Long
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnleslielong/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/JohnLong.Official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnlongofficial

Would you like to hear more CCM music? Then check out our Christian playlists on: https://www.christiandance.eu/playlists

PS: Did you know that the posts we have on Christian Music Today also contain the backstories that artists have shared with us? Check it out on: https://christianmusictoday.eu/

Popular posts

"I Need God" by Richard Baś: Because Nothing Else Really Satisfies

Have you ever chased what you thought was peace and come up empty?  “I Need God” by Richard Baś is a song for people who keep searching and never find enough. Richard wanted a Christian song with energy and edge — something that causes listeners to experience certain emotions that are regularly not in the Christian genre. The song opens with restlessness: “These days I’m running from my own shadow,” he sings, “trying to find a peace of mind.” He tries love. He tries drugs. He tries more. Nothing changes. That’s the trap that so many of us already know. We chase one thing, then another, hoping the next thing will finally be enough… But it never really is.  There is a shift in the song. “Jesus has set me free and I, I am free now,” Richard declares. The running stops. The striving stops. Richard names it clearly: “Yeah I need God.”   The song echoes the same message that we read in Psalm 42:1–2: “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My so...

"I'm Still Going to Praise You" by Die Taube: Choosing Praise in the Waiting

Can worship survive a season without answers?  Some seasons don’t resolve on schedule. “I’m Still Going to Praise You” by Die Taube ( ‘the dove’ ) was born from one of those seasons — infertility sitting alongside a father’s cancer diagnosis, disappointment stacking on disappointment. The song is part of an upcoming album, Pilgrimage, releasing one song per month until December. The album is a crossing, not a recovery, not getting back to who one was but coming through changed. The opening line of the song sets the whole tone: “Thank You has no seasons, worship does not wait.” God’s worthiness does not depend on our circumstances. Even when circumstances stay unresolved, we decide to look beyond our circumstances to praise and worship Him.  Notice what the second verse admits. “When I feel like I’ve got nothing and other times so much”  — our praises aren’t conditional on constant victory. The song is honest about fluctuating faith, and pairs it with a steady choice underneat...

"I Love to Praise Your Name" by Chrystal: Worship That Survives the Storm

A declaration of consistent devotion and faithfulness to God (by Jasper Tan) Chrystal Williams-Alberty’s “I Love to Praise Your Name” is a beautiful and heartfelt contemporary praise and worship song. The song focuses on our devotion and adoration to our God. The lyrics are simple but deep in expression. Reminding us that to worship God is a lifelong commitment, and we should always give our gratitude and faithfulness to our loving God. The song shares a message that is similar to Psalm 34:1 —  “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Chrystal came up with the song from her own personal experiences where she wants to praise God even in her most difficult times. This shows us that praising God isn’t just when things are going our way, but even in the most trying times; our devotion and faithfulness to him must remain constant. This is what makes this song beautiful because it came from a place of sincerity and raw honesty. Chrystal shows her unw...