Have you ever gotten a text message or phone call with the worst news?
That moment might have you thinking, "This is the end of the world." Maybe you fell to your knees with tears or put your head in your hands in despair.
Overwhelming circumstances easily lead us to isolate, ruminate on negative thoughts, and pull away from God. Yet, those choices don't help us flourish. Those behaviors actually tend to make the terrible even more horrible. Instead, turning towards others, meditating on the good stuff described in Philippians 4:8, and seeking God gives us the resources to endure and be transformed by even the worst of times.
This is exactly the kind of moment that inspired contemporary Christian artist Seph Schlueter to write "Turn It Into Praise." The song follows in the footsteps of his popular tracks "Counting My Blessings" and "Running Back to You."
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The song's origin story embodies its own message. During an interview with Australia's Vision Christian Media, Schlueter shared how his single Turn It Into Praise emerged surprisingly. "I flew into Nashville with some things going on in my life. We started writing a lament song, but it wasn't working. Then I remembered Genesis 50, where Joseph says, 'What you meant for evil, God meant for good.' I thought, what if instead of just a cry of 'God, where are you?' it became an anthem — this is who God is, He can turn it around. If He's done it before, He can do it again."
The verse that sparked this transformation in Schlueter's songwriting was Genesis 50:20, which reflects Joseph's response to his brother's fear that he will destroy them now that their father has died. Instead, Joseph speaks words that have brought comfort across generations. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."
God is at work in ways we cannot see, and He has power beyond our comprehension. Like Joseph, Schlueter invites listeners to turn to Him because He is worthy of our praise, especially during moments of feeling overwhelmed. His invitation connects with the words of Psalm 150:6, "Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!"
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During the same Vision Christian Media interview, Schlueter shared strong encouragement to those who are hurting. "The temptation is to run away from the Lord because you feel hurt or abandoned. That's exactly what the enemy wants. But the most important thing you can do is run to Him, even if you don't understand. Every answer you're looking for is found in Jesus. Peace, rest, hope — you won't find it outside of Him. Train yourself to make Jesus your first response."
The chorus of "Turn It to Praise" reflects this two-sided response where God brings glory and we bring praise.
"You Make Beautiful endings to every story You turn it to glory
And I'll turn it to praise."
As a seasoned pastor, I know that people are reading this article and listening to this song who are waiting for God to turn their situation to glory. I sat with a friend last month who said, "I just hope there's a happy ending after all of this pain and loss."
"Turn It to Praise" offers a chance to praise God while we wait. Speaking with The Christian Beat, Schlueter said, '"Turn It To Praise' is an anthem for anyone who has seen or is waiting to see God make things work for good." For many believers, Romans 8:28 comforts them while they wait. There, Paul wrote, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
Whether you have seen the beautiful ending or you're still waiting for God to move, take some time to pull away from the overwhelming circumstance. Turn off the relentless stream of bad news online. Turn on "Turn It to Praise" and praise God.
Can I make a confession? I wrote this article during a particularly difficult day, with one piece of bad news following another. Praising God didn't immediately change my circumstances. But I was certainly different as a result of that worship. The act of worshipping and praising God in the middle of the storm transformed something inside me, even when the external situation remained unchanged. The weight felt lighter. The anxiety loosened its grip. God's faithfulness became more real than my immediate troubles. Worshipping reminded me that my story isn't over and that God specializes in redemptive endings. I pray you experience the same gift, too.
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
