I’ve got my doubts and I’ve got my questions
It’s nothing new ‘cause I’ve seen them before
I’ve had my share of false revelations
It always seems they’re knockin’ on my door
You said that I should see the light
But sometimes faith is blind
How do you know, how do you know
What I’m suppose to be doing
Why do you go, why do you go on
Thinking you know my fate
So many times I’ve lost my step
But never lost my way
How do you know, how do you know
When I don’t know myself
You’re thinking that you’ve got all the answers
You’ve got my situation figured out
But you’re only seeing part of the picture
There’s so much more that you don’t know about
And here you come to speak your mind
But I’ll say one more time
Words by Mac Powell / music by Third Day / © 2005 Consuming Fire Music (ASCAP). All rights administered by EMI CMG Publishing.
Behind the Song:'Criticism can be a nasty thing. We've all been on the giving and receiving ends of it, and even for the giver it's never pretty. However, it’s amazing how critical believers can be of one another at times. It's as if when we receive salvation, we are given the authority to hold everyone around us accountable, according to our own personal convictions and ideals. Sometimes we can give off the impression that we 'know it all'!
Dealing with criticism is never easy and “How Do You Know” asks the question, 'How do you know what I'm supposed to be doing?” The tone of the chorus lyrics might give off a bit of a sharp attitude but the real expression of the song is a simple, honest question: 'How DO you know?' It's not to say that the line between sin and righteousness needs to be blurred, but often times there is more than one righteous, Godly response or action to take, i.e.: do I take this job, or that job?; should we put our kids in public school or home school them?; should we take our music to the mainstream audience or stay where it's safe? These are just a few examples of questions that no one but God and ourselves can really work out. Our job as fellow believers is to pray for one another and ask God to impart his wisdom to his saints. The high horse of legalism and piousness needs to be led to the water and drowned. When that happens, the freedom of God's grace as expressed through the church will change the face of our culture.' – David Carr (
Third Day)