Sanctus Real is a Christian band based in Toledo, Ohio. Their music is a lively mix of faith and celebration that has won over audiences with popular songs like "I'm Not Alright," "Lead Me," and "Lay it Down." They are known for their authentic Christian living on and off stage, and their music is often heard worldwide in worship services.
I recently talked with band members Chris Rohmann, Dustin Lolli, and Mark Graalman. We discussed the inspiration behind their latest single, "All Along." This song is about unwavering faith in God, even during life's challenges. It's a powerful reminder that God's love is unchanging and steadfast. During our conversation, we discussed the personal stories and biblical connections that give depth to the lyrics. It serves as a call to find hope and strength in the love of Jesus Christ.
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
Chris: “All Along,” a song we co-wrote with songwriter AJ Pruis, is an excellent reminder of God's presence through the hills and valleys of life. We've had our share of highs and lows and find great comfort in this sustaining faith. If there's one bit of good news we have to share during uncertain times, it is that God is the same today as He was yesterday, a hope worth sharing. This song is a statement for believers to stand in faith against circumstances that may seem hopeless.
Dustin: We’ve seen how God’s mercy, faithfulness, and goodness showed up amid pain and sorrow. This conversation spurred the lyrics, “I will not worry/With what the future holds/I will not worry/When I’m facing the unknown.” In learning to walk by faith and not by sight, fear and worry can cause us to forget that God is with us through it all. This song reminds us not to forget God’s faithfulness through it all.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV): “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
1 John 3:1 (NLT): "See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don't recognize that we are God's children because they don't know Him."
Philippians 4:6 (VOICE): "Don't be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come."
Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV): "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV): "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:28 (VOICE): "We are confident that God can orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan."
James 4:14(NKJV): "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."
1 Peter 5:6-7(NIV): “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
1 John 4:18-19(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. We love because He first loved us."
What is the takeaway message?
Mark: "All Along" reminds those impacted by a tragedy that God is still with them, and there is hope because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
We wrote this song for those who have received an unimaginable diagnosis or experienced heartache or tragedy but still want to profess their faith in God. We hope this song will inspire people to remember the goodness of God in their lives and how He has always been there for them, guiding them through any difficult circumstances they have ever encountered. God is faithful, loving, and caring in nature. We can trust that we will continue to experience His kindness and grace again and again.
Dustin: God loves me and loves you, no matter what. It’s the concept of an incredible and almost unbelievable grace that we cannot earn. We demonstrate our worthiness for God's grace through our actions. But we often unjustly categorize ourselves and others. This is not the truth. We are so loved—no matter what we do or don’t do. This song reminds us that, as Christians, we don’t have to fear because we serve a God who never changes. There’s always cause to proclaim God’s goodness no matter what. He’s with us in the stormy seas and when we’re under attack. He’s with us in every valley and every victory. He’s with us all along.
Lyrics
When I’m surrounded by hopeless stormy seas When I’m surrounded by a host of enemies My heart stays steady Though I’m under attack Cause I see clearly Every time I look back
All along You’ve always been there all along In every valley, in every victory Through it all Through it all
Even when I did not know You never left me all alone Been right beside me Walking with me Through it all Through it all All along
I will not worry With what the future holds I will not worry When I’m facing the unknown Cause you’ve been faithful Every time I look back And you’ll be faithful Just like you always have
All along You’ve always been there all along In every valley, in every victory Through it all Through it all
Even when I did not know You never left me all alone Been right beside me Walking with me Through it all Through it all All along
You’ve been constant You’ve been true You’ve been with me through and through All along all along You’ve been faithful You’ve been good You’ve been with me like you said you would All along all along
All along You’ve always been there all along In every valley, in every victory Through it all Through it all
Even when I did not know You never left me all alone Been right beside me Walking with me Through it all Through it all All along All along Through it all Through it all All along
Closing Thoughts
In these challenging times, it's important to remember that we are not alone and God is always with us. No matter the time of day, our Lord Jesus is present. Instead of focusing too much on our circumstances and worrying about what we can do to improve them, we should connect with God's heart for us.
As it says in Matthew 6:34, "Do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today.” It's also worth noting that God reminds us 365 times in His Word to "do not fear" or "do not worry," which is a daily reminder to trust in Him and be filled with His Holy Spirit daily.
“All Along” is about surrendering all your worries, anxieties, and stress to God and allowing Him to guide you. He wants to walk beside us and wants us to be courageous and unafraid. This song is a daily prayer that asks God to come and transform our hearts and lives.
Let us transform ourselves so that our conduct and way of life come from God, who resides within His followers. Only Jesus can provide us with our true identity. It is a powerful statement acknowledging that God never abandons us and that He is all we need. I sing this song as an expression of submitting myself to God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
"You'll never see true beauty if you don't fully submit to God." This inspirational message reminds us of the importance of surrendering ourselves to the Lord. "All Along" is a song that includes a testimony of submission to the Lord, which we can all pray about in our struggles.
Our weaknesses should not be hidden because God's grace and strength are perfectly revealed through them. By immersing ourselves in the Word of God, we are strengthened with the truth that fear, worry, and anxiety are not part of God's plan for our lives.
As followers of Jesus, we know we can trust God's Word completely, regardless of our circumstances. Many people struggle to apply God's Word to their lives, but if we learn to build our lives on scripture, we will have a firm foundation and a guide for navigating our lives.
Jesus commands us to trust Him completely. When we trust Jesus, we don't have to be afraid. But, sometimes, it's hard to believe that God loves us so much and knows us intimately. The enemy constantly attacks our thoughts, but we can submit to God and commit ourselves to Him by singing a song.
God's Word assures us to trust what He says about us, regardless of how we feel about ourselves. If we've put all our hope and trust in Jesus, nothing can separate us from His love. God sees us as He sees His Son and can make something out of nothing in each of us. This is something to celebrate and sing: “Even when I did not know/You never left me all alone/Been right beside me/Walking with me/Through it all/Through it all/All along.” Amen to that.
NRT lead contributor Kevin Davis is a long-time Christian music fan and an avid collector. He 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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