Every time I hear Chris Young's new song "If That Ain't God," my automatic reaction is to cross myself and throw in the responsorial I've known from decades as a Catholic: "Lord, hear our prayer."

And Young told me that he hopes this song will make others feel the same.

"To have this song that speaks to all the crazy things in life that make you point upstairs and say, 'Yes. Absolutely.' That's incredibly special," Young told me during a Zoom call on Wednesday (July 15).

CMT.com: That line about the power of prayer really hit me. Because when you get so caught up in the news and social media and all you see is negativity, I think praying kind of drops to the bottom of our to-do lists. This song such is a powerful reminder to thank God.

Young: Sometimes we catch ourselves -- especially this year with all that's dragged us down with worrying about so many different things -- I find this song so uplifting. Because it's saying, 'Hey, actively look for the some of the stuff that is great that we've overlooked.' And doesn't that make you want to pray?

It does to me. And not just for the obvious big moments that let us know we're blessed.

Right. Because there's those, and another thing working along side of this song is that it's not just those. It's not just a baby born, it's not just someone beating cancer. Sometimes it's things like in the bridge of the song about seeing a red sun set over blue water. Something that simple that we can take for granted. And then, man, it hits you. Like how would this exist if not for God?

Besides all the blessings you sing about in this song, what are some other things that make you feel this way?

For me, it's music. This song doesn't have that in it, but I am so grateful that I was given that gift. Because no matter what, to be able to have a gift and a passion for music -- from when I was a kid to now -- and to be able to do that for a living? That's a blessing. That's a God-given thing.

Did you feel that way right away, the first time you heard the demo of this song?

Yes. Because first of all, I got the original demo during the beginning of quarantine for everybody. I heard it, I loved it, and I knew it was special. And then I was like, "I'm gonna reach out to the songwriters directly and ask permission to rewrite the chorus." Because you know, you don't want to go around messing with somebody's baby.

And were Matt Roy, Mitch Oglesby and Greylan James all cool with that?

Well when I sent it back to them, they said they absolutely loved what I did with it.

James told me that the song was inspired by all the good that was coming out of all the bad in Nashville at the time they wrote it in early March, right after the tornadoes and right on the verge of the pandemic. So while their hearts were heavy, they'd see miracles: people who survived the tornado even when their homes did not, or healthcare workers rushing in like superheroes when we were all rushing to stay at home. Is that what was on your mind when you recorded the song, because James said hearing your voice on it was "such a God thing"?

When we recorded it, it was before anyone was back doing studio sessions. So since we couldn't do a session, Chris DeStefano built it at his home studio. He pretty much played every instrument on this track. He's that good. It's insane. He's one of those guys who taught himself how to play fiddle one year, just for fun. And then I did my vocal in my home studio. Being at home doing this was so different, and it's wild how it all came together. And I am so glad that I got to this song before anybody else did.

James also shared with me that their intent was for this song to be a rallying cry for people who believe in God and for people who don’t. "The song is a blessing, and a reminder that miracles are happening. We need a positive message now, and we need to be banging that drum," James said, "because good news can be hard to find right now."

Lyrics of "If That Ain't God":

I ain't never thought much of getting up

Or the climb down the stairs to my coffee cup

Or the good morning news in the background

'Til I heard somebody on it talking 'bout

The kid from my town, only 8 or 9

Who took a punch from cancer, but he won that fight

He had his first home run, first time at the plate

Then he pointed at the sky and it made me think

If that ain't God, if that ain't Him

If that ain't the man upstairs somewhere looking down on us again

Don't it make you wanna pray, don't it make you wanna live?

Oh, if that ain't God, if that ain't God, I don't know what is

I took a breath and I looked out the windowpane

At the sunrise man, only He could paint

It got me thinking 'bout all my crazy years

And the miracles y'all that got me here

Make a grown man wanna cry happy tears

If that ain't God, if that ain't Him

If that ain't the man upstairs somewhere looking down on us again

Don't it make you wanna pray, don't it make you wanna live

Oh, if that ain't God, if that ain't God, I don't know what is

I don't know what is

A red sunset over blue water

Every day you get with your son or your daughter

If you've got a roof over your head, boots under your feet

Somebody by your side, you see and say

If that ain't God, if that ain't Him

If that ain't the man upstairs somewhere looking down on us again

Don't it make you wanna pray, don't it make you wanna live, live, live?

Oh, if that ain't God, if that ain't God, I don't know what is

Oh, if that ain't God, if that ain't God, I don't know what is

Yeah, I don't know what is