Centricity Music artist Caitie Hurst burst onto the Christian contemporary music scene with her standout debut hit single, “How Could I Be Silent in 2018.” Shortly after she released her debut single, she dropped an EP with the same name (song standouts include “Walkin’ on the Water” and “Nothing to Hide). Then, in 2020, Caitie dropped At All Times, an EP featuring “All The Things,” “Yours,” and “Recover.”
She’s really emerged as one of the top new female vocalists in Christian music. Not to mention that she’s a great role model for girls. Her entire catalog ministers to me and my family (my wife and I have three young daughters).
My girls have really connected with the messages in Caitie’s biblically inspired lyrics: they represent how true happiness and her identity come from her relationship with God. Much of Caitie’s music ministers to anyone struggling with fear and self-doubt.
With comparisons to contemporaries ranging from pop icon Taylor Swift to Christian artist Britt Nicole, Caitie’s exhibits the passion and confidence of a seasoned artist. Her songwriting is real, positive, and vulnerable. And her upbeat songs are a great way to celebrate our freedom in Christ. I had the chance to speak with Caitie about her catchy song “Recover.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
We started writing the song with a specific story in mind. A story of someone who’d been admitted into rehab again, someone whom one of the songwriters in the room knew.
Our goal was to give listeners a song that assured them that God could restore anything. Like years of a life that had been spent in and out of rehab, on and off drugs and alcohol, and everything between. A song for someone to sing when they’ve messed up in a relationship, had gone too far, and felt that they could never get rid of the shame they carried.
Sometimes, it's hard to believe that God can recover any of our tough stuff. Especially, when we mess up or wasted years of our life struggling with the same things. Or when we’re stuck in a depression that seems to never end. But He can--and does--restore. He works everything out for those who love Him. For those who are called according to His purposes. It's something we don't fully understand.
We want listeners to sing this song over and over--no matter what circumstances around them look like. When I see life from an eternal perspective, I know I’ll one day be singing praises to the Father forever, so that’s my hope. That’s why I can always sing praises.
When I look at my life apart from heaven and the hope of Jesus Christ, it doesn’t make any sense. But with the hope of eternal life I have in Jesus Christ, I can say, as stated in Psalms 34:1: “I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”
What Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Ephesians 3:17-19(NIV): “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Psalm 55:22(NIV): "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken."
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."
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.”
Romans 12:2(VOICE): "Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete."
1 John 4:18(NKJV): "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."
What is the takeaway message?
When writing this song, we kept coming back to a passage of prophecy to the state of Judah in Israel in Joel 2. There, it talks about how God will restore “the years that the locusts have stolen.” From this, the main point we wanted to drive home with this song was that God can recover anything. We see that in His character all throughout the Bible.
God restores any person and any situation. Years spent in depression and years spent running from God. Time spent in disobedience, addictions, anything. It’s something we can’t understand how or when He does it. But He promises that He works things together for good and for His glory.
So, let this song encourage you and anyone who feels hopeless or shameful. Know that God restores. He sees and He cares, and He has enough grace to cover every single thing you’ve ever done.
Lyrics
Fall back Back into the same place Rewind moments That I can’t change Wish I could go back Begin again Get all the time back That I’ve spent
Caught up in cycles That I can’t break Trying to fix every mistake Working so hard to get ahead Just can’t make up the deficit
What I’ve wasted What I’ve lost What feels gone Can’t make right Where I went wrong, but
You give it all back Over and over There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
I don’t have to worry I don’t have to wonder There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
Let go I don’t have to relive All the chances That I thought I missed You’re not bound By the time it took Not once was I overlooked
Nothing wasted Nothing lost Not at all Every detail Great and small
You give it all back Over and over There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
I don’t have to worry I don’t have to wonder There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
All the hurt that I didn’t see coming All the days and The years I spent running You work it all for my good You work it all for my good
All the detours
I should have avoided All the shame All of my disappointment You work it all for my good You work it all for my good
Nothing that You can't recover, no
You give it all back Over and over There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
I don’t have to worry I don’t have to wonder There’s nothing that You can’t You can’t recover Nothing that You can’t You can’t recover
Closing Thoughts
After repeated listens, "Recover" gets deeper with comforting biblical messages that God is love. And we love because He first loved us. Many of my musical favorites are based on the joy and themes of trusting in God from the Psalms and Proverbs.
So many people struggle to apply God's Word to their lives. If we learn to build our lives on scripture, we could all have a rock as our foundation. The Good News of the Gospel, which this song portrays, says that God accepts us no matter what we've done or what we're going through.
We're all a work in progress. So, have faith and let the Lord work all things together for good. Spend time with God and let Him redeem and restore you. We're not at the end of our story. God's still writing our stories of redemption. He wants you to know that He's faithful to complete what He's started in those who've put their hope and trust in Jesus for our salvation.
This song celebrates the freedom that He promises in God's Holy Word. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Christians are new creations on the inside. God wants us to believe in the freedom that we have in the cross of Jesus. We're free from our fears, addictions, insecurities, and perfectionism. Jesus came to die for us so that we can live in Him.
"Recover" is all about trusting in God and confessing to Him and others when we fail or have struggles. So, lay your struggles at the feet of Jesus, and He'll take them from you and release you from that burden. He wants to hear from you.
This song includes a testimony of submission to the Lord that we can use as a prayer for freedom from our personal struggles. Our weaknesses are nothing to hide.
In fact, because of our weaknesses, God's grace and strength are revealed. I'm completely convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song. We can't know everything, and we're not in control. But trusting God gives us assurance that we don't have to be afraid.
God will be there to pick us up when we fall. The challenge for me when I listen to this song is to pick an area of my life that I've been trying to control. And instead step out and put my hope and trust in Him.
Jesus is the answer to all that we want and need. We're all in need of God to fix our beautiful messes in some way. The beauty of grace is that it's freely given, not something we deserve or earn. The Holy Spirit gives us a new life. We don't have to live anymore with guilt, fears, or worries. We're born again. Our old life is dead.
Believing the words of this song is a great way to work on the disciplines of self-examination and prayer. Faith is when we are empty of ourselves and filled with Him and His Holy Spirit. I can’t get enough of the biblical truth in the bridge, “All the detours/I should have avoided/All the shame/All of my disappointment/You work it all for my good/You work it all for my good.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time fan of Christian music, an avid music collector, and credits the message of Christian music for leading him to Christ. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three daughters.
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