The Story Behind the Song — Tryin' to Get Heaven

Sometimes we pray and a door opens almost effortlessly. The direction seems clear, the pieces come together, and we move forward with a sense that God is leading the way.

Other times, we pray just as hard—and nothing moves.

Tryin' to Get Heaven came from thinking about those moments when we keep asking God to make something work, but never stop to consider whether what we're asking for is really what He wants.

The song begins with someone pushing against a door that simply won't open:

I've been knockin' on a door that won't move
Pushin' hard, but I can't get through.

It's easy to make our plans first and then ask God to bless them afterward. We draw the map, decide where we're going, and then pray for Heaven's approval.

That's where James 4:3 comes in. James warns that sometimes we “ask amiss.” Prayer isn't meant to be a way of persuading God to follow our plans. Sometimes the unanswered prayer may cause us to examine the prayer itself—what we're asking for, why we're asking for it, and whether we've really sought God's will.

That's the heart of the chorus:

Trying to get Heaven to answer
A prayer of my own invention.

The song isn't saying that every closed door means God has said no. Scripture teaches us to be persistent in prayer. But there's a difference between persistent faith and trying to force our own way forward while asking God to come along.

The bridge brings that realization home:

I make the plans
You guide the steps
I see today
You see what's next.

That echoes Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

By the end of Tryin' to Get Heaven, the prayer has changed. The singer isn't trying so hard to get Heaven to agree with him anymore. He's learning to trust God's direction:

Open door — I'll walk on through
Closed door — I'll trust You.

Key Scriptures

James 4:3 — “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss…”

Proverbs 16:9 — “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.”

Reflection

Sometimes we spend so much time asking God to open the door we've chosen that we don't notice He's pointing us toward another one.

Maybe the better prayer isn't simply, “Lord, make this work.”

It's “Lord, show me what You want—and help me want it too.”