The Gospel According to OneRepublic: “Counting Stars”

Thanks for joining me for another episode of The Gospel According To! This week we’re fangirling over the song “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic. If you’ve been here before, welcome back, and if you’re a fan of OneRepublic who happened upon this blog, I’m so glad you’re here! Consider this your invitation to enjoy a song you love from a new angle. Enjoy!

Fandom: “No more counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars.” -OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”

Verses: Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 147:4, Isaiah 40:22, 26, Matthew 6:25-30, 33

Truth: The stress of life’s expenses are nothing compared to the greatness of God. We can trust him to provide, and discover the peace that comes from realizing who we are and who He is.

the fandom: OneRepublic “Counting Stars”

OneRepublic’s song “Counting Stars” is one of the hallmarks of the early 2010s. If you were anywhere between the ages of 11 and 18 when this song came out, then you probably heard it played many, many times. At least, that’s how I remember it. I was in eighth grade when the song was released in 2013 😅

And there’s a good reason for its popularity. “Counting Stars” has a catchy and contagious rhythm with some surprisingly thought-provoking lyrics. The verses are less interesting to me than the chorus, but over the years, the phrase “No more counting dollars, we’ll be counting stars” has gotten stuck in my head over and over again. It’s so relatable!

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Want more songs from the 2010s nostalgic era? Here are some posts you might enjoy:

• Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
• Ed Sheeran – Perfect
• Taylor Swift – Daylight

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Life is… expensive

Seriously, when did being a human become so expensive?? I make more than I ever have before, and yet I still can’t even afford rent. For my family of four, it costs almost $200 some weeks for groceries, and that’s with my mom being as frugal and smart as possible. Clothes, shoes, shampoo and deodorant and toothpaste and toilet paper and phone bills and pet care and college tuition… the list goes on, right? So many things.

Counting Stars speaks to this constant worry that we have as humans. Not only do we have physical needs to think about, but also our social lives, personal interests, the people that we care about, the career we either want or are currently in, the plans and hopes and dreams we have for the future… It’s a lot to think about. It almost feels like too much to handle sometimes. But there’s one thought that’s connected with this song, and that thought reassures me and helps me find peace in the midst of anxiety and an over-abundance of thoughts.

The verses

Whenever “Counting Stars” comes on in my fandoms playlist, I always think of this verse:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Philippians 4:6

As someone who frequently stresses about life, the universe, and everything, this verse has given me encouragement and peace many times over the years. It invites us to let go of the things we worry about and give them to God instead. But what about the times when I’m so lost in my anxious thoughts that I’m doubting the God I should be praying to? Here’s a passage that expands on who He is and why He’s worthy of our trust and prayers:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, [as to] what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, [as to] what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather [crops] into barns, and [yet] your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin [thread for cloth,] yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is [alive] today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, [will He] not much more [clothe] you? You of little faith!… But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.”

Matthew 6:25-30, 33

These verses invite us to look to the physical world around us as a reminder of God’s sovereignty and provision. Even in the middle of the city, there are little patches of flowers and adorable little birds all around us. I love hearing birdsong first thing in the morning! It’s such a sweet sound to me. And all these little details in the world around us are reminders of God. His presence, His care for creation, and His provision for even the tiniest creatures.

One more reminder of who God is and why we can trust Him:

Raise your eyes on high And see who has created these [stars,] The One who brings out their multitude by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of [His] power, Not one [of them] is missing.

Isaiah 40:26

Some of the most breathtaking God moments I’ve had have been looking up at the stars. From the handful I can see in the middle of the city, to the suspended-in-space feeling of sitting on a dock on a lake at dawn, looking up makes me feel small and significant, all at the same time.

I gave up trying to count all the stars long ago, but just imagine: God can literally count them ALL, AND remember all their names! That’s like remembering all the names of every human who has ever lived, multiplied by infinity… completely mind-blowing. And yet He is capable of all of that.

Maybe this is the way to the promise of Philippians 4:7, the way to the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” Maybe it isn’t in trying and striving and putting all our hearts into prayers that beg God for relief, then feeling discouraged and frustrated when those prayers aren’t immediately answered. Maybe it’s not about looking inward and hoping for peace, but rather about looking upward, literally and metaphorically. Because when our focus is on God and His vastness, His ability to call all the millions x infinity of stars BY NAME, plus providing for all the birds and flowers and trees and fishies and such in this amazing world, then we can start being taken in by wonder and peace and faith instead of consumed by our anxious thoughts.

Application: Take your worries, stresses, and expenses to God, and He will give you peace

When I first started college, my parents and I were almost constantly stressed about how to pay for it all. But time after time after time, God came through in amazing ways. Sometimes it was a tax return that came in literally as we were about to sign up for student loans; sometimes it was a scholarship that paid for summer classes plus extra. Sometimes it was a second or third job that made it possible for me to finally contribute some funds to my fees every month. But God always came through, and as the years have gone by, we’ve become more and more willing to trust that it will work out.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Next time you’re worried about all the expenses of life, look up. Or if you can’t see the stars, look at photos of stars (I guess? 🤣). Remember that God is there, and He is capable of providing. And choose to count the stars instead of counting dollars. That’s where real peace comes from 😊

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you enjoyed it, please do me a solid and share with all your peeps using the graphic below. And let me know– how has God provided for you? What reminds you of His ability to provide? And do you have any more OneRepublic songs I should listen to?

Happy fangirling!

P.S. – Here are the pages I made for this song in my Fangirl: Fulfilled devotional journal. You can find out more about this journal and how to purchase your own here!