The Petersen family band performs a beautiful rendition of the classic Christian hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
The Petersens are a family from Missouri who play traditional bluegrass music. They have millions of views online, and you might have seen some of their popular gospel performances like “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior,” “Come Ye Sinners” and “All Glory Be to Christ.”
Even though the song is an uplifting one, the story behind it is heartbreaking. The words they sing go all the way back to 1855. A man named Joseph M. Scriven wrote them for his sick mother, who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada.
Years earlier, Joseph had lived through unimaginable loss when his fiancée tragically drowned the day before their wedding. He didn’t write these words to be a famous hymn in a church songbook. He just wrote them as a personal poem to comfort his mom through a hard time. He took his own deep pain and used it to remind his mother that Jesus could carry hers.
Most of us try to fix our problems on our own first. We treat prayer like it is the last option when nothing else works. But this song is a gentle reminder that we can take it straight to the Lord right at the start.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:6 to not be anxious but to pray about everything and let God know what you need. Jesus knows exactly what is making you worried right now, and He wants you to give it to Him.
If you feel overwhelmed today, just stop what you are doing and talk to Jesus out loud like a friend sitting right next to you. He is faithful, and He will help you.
WATCH: The Petersen Family Sings ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’
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