Unspoken's last album, Follow Through, followed the success of their debut eponymous album, Unspoken, which features the hit songs "Lift My Life Up," "Start a Fire," "Good Fight," and "Call It Grace." The debut was one of my Top 5 Albums of 2014. Follow Through was a worthy follow-up and was one of my Top 5 Albums of 2016. The album features the hit songs "The Cure," "Higher," and "Miracle." Now, Unspoken returns with their third album, Reason.
 
It is refreshing how in this age of lyrical ambiguity, there is no question that this band is sold out for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With Reason, Unspoken is offering a great example of how a songwriter can write and sing lyrics that are unashamed of Jesus. And reach the lost with transparent confessions of faith. Every thought and lyric in this song and this album is rooted in Scripture, which I admire. I had the chance to speak with Unspoken's lead singer Chad Mattson about "Reason."
Please tell me the personal story behind the song.

We've written so many songs. "Reason" took four days to write. We came up with the hook, and switched up the bridge at the last minute and added in the Philippians 1:6 reference. The first verse is really my testimony over the past couple of years. 

The cool thing about the songs on our new album is that we set out to write music that we needed to hear ourselves. We took a lot of phrases and conversations happening in our homes between husbands and wives and we wrote songs for us, because of the things we needed to be reminded of. If we can only walk in what we know to be true, that makes a difference. "Reason" starts off with the four seasons of winter. And one of the big things to remember about hard seasons is that you forget that there are other seasons.
 
The winter can seem so long that we can't find God. But, it's in those hard moments when we draw close to Him that we experience a huge change. Here's why: need always causes us to run to Jesus. He preached "Blessed are the poor in Spirit." The idea is that we can't become part of God's family until we recognize our need for Him. His love doesn't change. The cross and the resurrection is always the reason to remember His love for us. He puts the fire in our souls.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV): "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
 
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV): "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."

Romans 8:28 (VOICE): "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan."
 
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT): "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV): "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Philippians 1:6 (NKJV): "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

What is the takeaway message?

Every song on the album, Reason, speaks to some different kind of emotion or struggle we've been going through. But, everyone has the same idea that God's love is the reason. He's the reason we have everything needed; He's the reason we can love ourselves; He's the reason we can forgive; He's the reason we've made it this far in our lives; He's the reason we can look in the mirror and be confident and know that we're going to be all right.
 
In the hard times, I've sometimes wondered 'When is God gonna show up?' But, the truth is we've already been given the victory. That's more than enough reason to believe, to persevere, and to trust. This album is about sharing with people that we have a reason. God's love is the reason we can do anything and everything. He's the reason we can persevere, or love ourselves, or love others, or walk in the freedom and forgiveness that God has given us, and walk confidently as children of God, believing that these truths aren't just for somebody else, but they're for us as well.
 
Lyrics:
This year's felt like four seasons of winter
And you'd give anything to feel the sun
Always reaching always climbing
Always second guessing the timing
But God has a plan a purpose in this
You are His child and don't you forget

He put that hunger in your heart
He put that fire in your soul
His love is the reason
To keep on believing
When you feel like giving up
When you feel like giving in
His love is the reason
To keep on believing

If we could pull back the curtain of Heaven
We would see His hand on everything
Every hour, every minute
Every second He's always been in it
Don't let a shadow of a doubt take hold
Hold on to what you already know

He put that hunger in your heart
He put that fire in your soul
His love is the reason
To keep on believing
When you feel like giving up
When you feel like giving in
His love is the reason
To keep on believing

It's the reason
It's the reason
His love is the reason

He's the peace in the madness
That you can't explain
He's the hope in the heartbreak
The rest in the suffering
He's closer than the air you breathe
From the start to the end to the in between
Don't you dare doubt even for a minute
What He started in you
Yeah, He's gonna finish

He put that hunger in your heart
He put that fire in your soul
His love is the reason, Your love
To keep on believing
When you feel like giving up
When you feel like giving in
His love is the reason, Your love
To keep on believing

It's the reason
It's the reason 
His love is the reason
It's the reason
It's the reason 
His love is the reason

Closing Thoughts

Jesus is the Good News and the miracle that can hold us together when we have struggles. This seems harder than ever with so many distractions and temptations around us. "Reason" is an offering and submission to God's supernatural ability to keep together what would otherwise fall apart.

"Reason" is a very convicting and sobering reminder that God brings trials to remind us how much we need Him. This song, as well as the album itself, gives many glimpses of the authentic reality of life and its experiences--good and bad. Things don't go as we want or even how we pray for God to work in our lives.
 
For me, I like to listen to this song in the context of the order of the songs on the album. The album's music celebrates God's sovereignty and professes that He's the ultimate ruler over our lives. 

I love how "Reason" expresses the truth of our earthly challenges. This song has really been resonating with me as I realize that Jesus commands us to trust God completely--no matter my circumstances or personal distractions or concerns. "Reason" is about faith and letting God's plans be revealed in our lives.

Jesus loves us just as we are, not who we pretend to be. Not only does He love our weaknesses, but he also blesses us because of them. Being poor in spirit, meek, persecuted and insulted bring blessings from God, which is all we need. I love knowing that, in my brokenness, I'm actually closer to Him. It's so wonderful to know that failing by the world's standards is what we are called to be, as devoted followers of Jesus.
 
All of us forget to let God be in control of our lives. Stress comes from not living in faith. Life is not about the plans that we make, but about God's plans. Let go and let God take control. Don't let "to do" lists get in the way of spending time with Him. 

Are we letting God be in control or aren't we? Either He is in control or He isn't. There isn't any middle ground. Jesus gave His life for us. And we know that He believed in God's purpose. We, as believers, are eternally grateful that Jesus relied on God's will. This song reminds me that there is a reason for everything under heaven.
 
As His children, we can all rest in the knowledge that we can fully trust in God, and lean not on our own understanding. We're all united in our struggles, in our spiritual warfare, and in our desire for truth and relationship. The Lord wants us to spend time with Him every day. "Reason" is a great reminder to spend time reading His Word, The Holy Bible, and to have a relationship with Him in prayer. 

As the song proclaims, "He put that hunger in your heart/He put that fire in your soul/ His love is the reason." No matter your circumstances, you need to remember, "When you feel like giving up/when you feel like giving in/His love is the reason/To keep on believing." Amen to that.