I’ve long enjoyed the hook-filled and emotive songs by contemporary Christian band The Afters, starting with their 2005 debut single “Beautiful Love” and continuing with “Ocean Wide,” “Light Up the Sky,” “Battles,” and "I Will Fear No More," from their first six albums. These songs help remind us that we weren’t made for this world. The band uses music to express emotions and deal with difficult circumstances, revealing their vulnerability.
After listening to the songs repeatedly, their messages will bring you comfort through the Bible's teachings that God is love and that we love because He first loved us. You can experience joy and worship loudly about how God's love is present in your life. You can be free of anxiety, guilt, and shame through His grace. Remember that being His is enough. I spoke with lead singer Josh Havens about their new song “God is With Us.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
Through all the years that we’ve toured as a band, we’ve heard people share their stories of brokenness and loss, and one question that we’ve heard repeatedly is, ‘Where is God in this story?’ I believe that God isn’t afraid of our questions. Our loss, hurt, and the hard things we go through are precious to God. And He has promised to be with us in every single moment of our life. He’s not going to leave us; he will never forsake us, and that’s where we can find the hope we need during our most challenging times.
Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?
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."
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.”
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT): "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."
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 minds in Christ Jesus."
Romans 8:11 (VOICE): “If the Spirit of the One who resurrected Jesus from the dead lives inside of you, then you can be sure that He who raised Him will cast the light of life into your mortal bodies through the life-giving power of the Spirit residing in you.”
What is the takeaway message?
We wrote “God Is With Us” as a guide to help put words to the moments when you can’t see, feel, or fully understand God. Inspired not only by the band's personal stories but by the hope that can only be found in God’s promise—that He will never leave us—they desire to spark conversations, offer hope during hardships, and encourage faith that life does with pain, yet God is present through it all. When I don’t have all the answers, I have Jesus. When I don’t know the outcome, I can hold onto Jesus. We learn from scripture that God is with us even in those tragedies, our most challenging times, and the darkest nights. He’s promised to be, and He’s faithful. He always will be.
Lyrics
Where is God in the heartache Where is God in the fear Where is God when it hurts so bad That you can’t hold back the tears
Where is God in the sickness That the prayers didn’t fix When it don’t make sense Where is God in all of this
He is right here where He’s always been He never left, and He never will Where is God God is with us He is right here where He’s always been It’s where He’ll be until the very end Where is God God is with us
Where is God in the ashes Of a broken home Where is God when we lose The ones we love the most Where is God in addiction When you lost the battle again When it’s all too much Where is God in all of this
He is right here where He’s always been He never left, and He never will Where is God God is with us He is right here where He’s always been It’s where He’ll be until the very end Where is God God is with us So where is God God is with us
We might never know the answers We might never know the outcome But we know Jesus We know Jesus Even when we face the darkness We know better days are coming Cause we know Jesus We know Jesus
And He is right here where He’s always been He never left, and He never will Where is God God is with us He is right here where He’s always been It’s where He’ll be until the very end Where is God God is with us So where is God God is with us So where is God
Closing Thoughts
The song’s lyrics highlight various challenging situations, such as heartache, sickness, broken homes, and addiction, where people often question God’s presence and wonder why their prayers haven’t been answered.
I'm convicted by the strong lyrics and find immense comfort in this song. The Bible says to trust what God says about us, no matter how we feel about ourselves. In many areas of our lives, we spend a lot of time worrying, as well as living in fear and anxiety.
As followers of Jesus, we know we can trust God's Word. We are all a work in progress. Have faith and let God work all things together for good. Spend time with Him and allow Him to redeem and restore you. We’re not at the end of our story. He's still writing our stories of redemption. He wants us to know that He's faithful to complete what He's started in all of us who've put all our hope and trust in Jesus for our salvation.
Christians are new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we are not the same anymore. God wants to hear from you. He desires us to boldly approach the throne of mercy and grace to receive what we need from Him.
We were dead in our sins, and by grace, we were saved and made alive in Christ. By relying on the ability of the Lord rather than ourselves, we are empowered by God's supernatural ability. Are you excited about God's hope inside of you? Have you humbled yourself and asked Jesus to make you a new creation?
“God is with Us” is one of my favorite songs of the year. It's about submitting ourselves to Him and His goodness and allowing His blood to cover us and run through our veins. This song has become my anthem, and I sing along at the top of my lungs to the sincere and passionate lyrics, “Where is God/God is with us/He is right here where He’s always been/It’s where He’ll be until the very end.” 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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