Hymn Stories: Learning To Lean

Learning To Lean

(Sam Stack) John Stallings was born in Georgia in 1938.  He has been a Pastor, Evangelist and songwriter.  During the 1970’s when Southern Gospel was growing in popularity, he wrote his most popular Gospel Song – Leaning to Lean.

While pastoring a church in Montgomery, Alabama, multiple trials came into his life.  One of his daughters became gravely ill and nearly died.  Another daughter was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  During this time, he felt led to leave his church ministry.  The family moved to Florida, where he began to build a new home.

As the story goes, Stallings was facing these trials and things were not going well for the Stallings family.  His faith in Christ allowed him to determine that he would fully trust in the Lord to see him through the difficulties that he was facing.

The words and music of a simple chorus came to him.  It was the chorus of Learning to Lean.  At that time, he had no idea that this song would impact so many people.  He began to share and sing just this chorus wherever he was asked to preach. Soon the chorus was being sung in many places.

Several months later, Stallings wrote four stanzas that we now have with the song.  The first and last stanza are used more frequently. Copyrighted in 1976, the complete song was first published in 1979, in Singspiration’s “Praise! Our Songs and Hymns.”  Later it was published in Singspiration’s “Favorites Number 9.”

Learning To Lean

Chorus

I'm learning to lean
Learning to lean
Learning to lean on Jesus
Finding more power
Than I'd ever dreamed
I'm learning to lean on Jesus

Verse 1

The joy I can't explain fills my soul
Since the day I made Jesus my King
His blessed Holy Spirit is leading my way
He's teaching and I'm learning to lean

 

Verse 2

Sometimes we can be like the man who said
My life is full now I have ev'rything
But there is a strong Rock in Jesus my Lord
Thro' my trials I've been learning to lean

 

Verse 3

Sad broken-hearted so often I've knelt
And I've found God's peace so serene
And all that He asks is a child-like trust
And a heart that is learning to lean

 

Verse 4

There's glorious vict'ry each day now for me
I found His peace so serene
He helps me with each task if only I'll ask
Ev'ry day now I'm learning to lean

John Stallings

© 1976 Bridge Building Music, Inc. (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

 Source:  https://wordwisehymns.com/2017/12/08/learning-to-lean/