Tasha Layton – Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK)

Tasha Layton is a fairly new American Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) singer and songwriter. Beginning her career in 2018, she released several singles, with Look What You’ve Done peaking within the top 10 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.

Her debut EP Love Running Wild went public in 2019, while her first album How Far was released in 2022.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Tasha-layton-into-the-sea-its-gonna-be-ok-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Layton is facing a terrible situation, though absent of details. She is questioning her own “togetherness”, looking for comfort and wholeness from the Father. He is present with her, with no intent to break His Word. She is sincere with Him, and candid about what is happening in her life.

The main point, “it’s gonna be ok” conveys two meanings: One, that God will one day restore that which is lost, and two, that God expresses a meaningless phrase without any idea on how to address Layton’s concerns. The latter is a typical human response when we use this phrase, which should not be attributed to God. In either case, it is not my belief that God would say this to anyone. It is unhelpful to the hearer and not how Jesus responds to those who suffer anguish, as I will explain in section 2.

Score: 7/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

All of it is Biblical except for Layton’s central point.  See my reasoning on my response to Chorus, lines 3 and 4.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1-4: Layton is experiencing a trial and/or tribulation.  Given the later phrase “it’s gonna be ok”, the question posed in line 4 is a rewording of “am I going to be OK?”  She is looking for someone to reassure her.

[Pre-Chorus]

Lines 1-4: “You” will be later revealed as the Father in Chorus.  This rhetorical question has an obvious answer: yes!  He is in the heart restoration business (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: Not the moving mountains in Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, and Mark 11:23, but a representation of Layton’s experience as described in Verse 1.

Lines 3 and 4: On the one hand, “it’s gonna be ok” is meant to convey encouragement.  Implied in this statement is that one day, He will set things right.  This points to the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:43, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Corinthians 11:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 16:15, and Revelation 19:11-16).  On the other hand, we have overused this phrase as our feeble attempt to comfort those who are hurt when we have no clue how.  It’s often not helpful at that moment because it doesn’t feel like everything is going to be OK when we’re hurting.  To the listener, it is often meaningless and unhelpful to hear “It’s gonna be OK” because the person who says this is dismissive of their feelings.

That’s not how Jesus responded in John 11:30-36.  Martha walked up to Him and asked Him, “where were you?  If you had been here, my brother would be still alive!”  She was visibly upset, weeping and wailing.  In response, Christ was moved in His Spirit and wept.  He didn’t offer empty words.  He was present with Mary, mourning as though it was He who lost His earthly brother.  He’s God, knowing that Lazarus would later rise from the dead.  Yet, at this very moment, He is crying.

See the difference?  God doesn’t say things like “It’s gonna be OK”.  He enters into our suffering and hurts alongside us.  He validates our feelings and mourns with us.  This is especially devastating because this phrase is Layton’s central point.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2:  If the Psalms have taught me anything, it is that we should be open and honest with God.  There isn’t enough information in this song to determine if Layton should be blaming herself; However, she recognizes that she blamed God when she should not have, just like Adam did in Genesis 3:12.

Line 3: The Father will not abandon Layton (Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:8-9, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Psalm 118:6, Lamentations 3:22-23, and Hebrews 13:5-6).

Line 4: As stated in James 1:17.

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: He is with Layton (Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Joshua 1:5-9, Psalm 23:4, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Zephaniah 3:17, Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 28:20, John 14:16-17, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:38-39, and Revelation 3:20).

Lines 3 and 4: God always keeps His promises (Numbers 23:19, Joshua 21:45, Joshua 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56, Romans 4:21, 2 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Hebrews 10:23, and 2 Peter 3:9).

Line 5: References Psalm 23:4.

Lines 6 and 7: Repeats line 2.

[Outro]

Lines 1 and 2: Repeats/essentially repeats Chorus, line 4.

Score: 7/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will think it’s either the Jewish or Christian God, given that the word “Father” is present alongside Biblical phrases such as “from beginning to the end” and “in the valley, in the shadow”. They will appreciate Layton’s openness about her emotional state. Yet, a god who says things like “It’s gonna be OK” will appear condescending, without any consideration to present suffering.

Score: 5/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies the Father that Layton expresses His closeness, transformative process, willingless to listen, and 100% promise kept track record, it does not glorify Him when phrases that we know are unhelpful and condascending are attributed to God, especially when such phrasing isn’t in Scripture.

Score: 7/10

Closing Comments

Tasha Layton’s Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK) is a mixed bag.  I praise her for her honesty towards the Father, asking Him to fix her broken heart, relishing in His warmth, and remembering that He always keeps His Word.  However, the song’s central theme, “It’s Gonna Be OK”, is something that God would never say, chiefly, because it squashes feelings and often doesn’t help the hurting amid angst.  Unbelievers will likely feel the same way.

I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 6.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Into the Sea (It’s Gonna Be OK) (listen to the song)

Artist: Tasha Layton

Album: How Far

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2022

Duration: 3:03

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

Updates:

09/19/2023 – Neal Cruco caught me with an incomplete thought in section 4!  I updated it.

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