10 Country Songs About The Struggles Of Life To Lift Your Spirit Along The Way

Life will never always consist of rainbows and sunshine. Along with its beauty and bliss come struggles, setbacks, and challenges – no matter how much you want everything to be perfect. Luckily, there are many country songs about the struggles of life to remind you that you are not alone.

While it’s quite hard to grasp, life’s struggles are growth opportunities. So, rather than dwelling on it and letting it get the best of you, you can play some hopeful country songs about finding strength amidst life’s struggles or inspirational country songs about persevering through tough times to help you get through whatever you are facing right now. At the end of the day, you can never avoid struggles, and there’s nothing you can do to stop this.

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Of course, overcoming your struggles is not a walk in the park. So, let’s get it on and check out these country songs about the struggles of life to give you hope and spark your light again.

1. If We Make It Through December by Merle Haggard

Country songs that reflect the hardships of everyday life always hit right through our hearts. For instance, Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” will make your heart ache as it narrates a difficult time of an unemployed man. The song tells the story of a father who got laid off at the factory and is now struggling with what’s supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year. 

2. Up! by Shania Twain

Meanwhile, Shania Twain released one of the most powerful country songs about the struggles and triumphs of life we’ve ever heard. In it, Twain finds her life going bad as it could be, like nothing is going out her way – even her skin is acting weirdly. Still, there’s no way to go but up. The song is a great reminder that while it seems everything in your life is going wrong, you should not fret, as it won’t last for long.

3. Skin (Sarabeth) by Rascal Flatts

Knowing you have a severe illness such as cancer can turn your world upside down. “Skin (Sarabeth)” tells the story of a teenage girl diagnosed with cancer. What’s even worse is the transformative challenges of the therapy that causes her hair to fall out. Now, she’s scared to death to show up to her prom with no hair, but an amazing thing happened. 

Rascal Flatts definitely knows what it takes to make great country songs that capture the pain of life’s challenges.

4. If You’re Going Through Hell by Rodney Atkins

Country music and challenges in life really go hand in hand – some tracks are written to ensure you keep going. Rodney Atkins’ “If You’re Going Through Hell” is a beautiful song about breaking down the walls of life standing in your way. Atkins would often perform this song at children’s hospitals, often for patients suffering from terminal illnesses.

5. Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

As Dolly Parton put it, her family was “dirt poor.” She grew up with her eleven siblings and farmer parents in a one-room cabin in rural Tennessee. 

Surely, she encountered some life struggles before finding success, and she often reflected on them through her songs. It includes “Coat of Many Colors,” which tells how her mother would stitch together old rags to make her a coat. The song ends with a beautiful moral lesson.

6. Fancy by Reba McEntire

This is perhaps one of the most emotional country songs about overcoming obstacles. Reba McEntire’s “Fancy,” tells the story of a poor girl sent by her mother to work as a prostitute to make ends meet. Though heartbreaking, she could pull herself up and even got herself a Georgia mansion and an elegant New York townhouse flat. But occasionally, she is haunted by the memory of her sad and desperate mother.

7. It’s a Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt

If you’re looking for uplifting country songs that resonate with life’s difficulties and how to view them positively, Travis Tritt’s “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” from his Down the Road I Go album would surely put a smile on your face. The hopeful lyrics serve as a cheery reminder that great things can be found each day, even in the worst ones. It indeed embodies the attitude of gratitude no matter what challenges you face.

8. A Simple Song by Chris Stapleton

Here’s Chris Stapleton in one of the greatest songs about life struggles. This song tells the story of a factory line worker encountering different challenges in life – such as not having the time to go fishing with his sick father, having a hard time quitting cigarettes, and even suffering from high cholesterol. 

Still, he loves his life. He reckons all he needs are his kids, his dogs, and the love of his life.

9. This One’s For The Girls by Martina McBride

“This One’s For The Girls” has been renowned and celebrated as one of the powerful songs about the hardships and resilience of women of various ages. The song pays tribute to women dealing with the challenges in different phases of life – such as teenage girls facing rough high school years to middle-aged women tossing pennies into the fountain of youth.

10. Jesus, Take The Wheel by Carrie Underwood

This is perhaps one of the most poignant songs about overcoming obstacles in all genres. The power ballad tells the story of a young mother going through a dark time in her life. She can’t help but ask for guidance and ultimately turn to Christ.

Indeed, life is quite tricky, and it will never work out how you want it to. There will always be pain and challenges, but there will also be happiness. We hope these country songs about the struggles of life will remind you that difficulties only last for a certain period of time. It doesn’t carry on for the entirety of your life, no matter how much you are hurting right now.