Josh Havens and Matt Fuqua of the band The Afters recently shared the emotional journey behind their song “God is With Us,” shedding light on the profound challenges faced by the band members and their families.
The origin of the song, as Havens recounts, emerged from a place of raw vulnerability and struggle. Fuqua had just returned from a harrowing experience in Texas, where his wife underwent emergency surgery to remove a cancerou
s tumor from her lung. The unexpected turn of events left Fuqua grappling with profound questions of faith and suffering.
“His wife had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in her lung in the months previous… And so he was there with her, obviously for the surgery, and then flew from being with her in the hospital, to Nashville, to work on music with us,” Havens shared.
Amidst their planned studio time, the band pivoted from their original agenda to address Fuqua’s reflections on the apparent disconnect between suffering and divine presence. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and biblical narratives, the songwriters embarked on a journey to explore the universal human inquiry: “Where is God in our pain?”
“We wanted to ask those questions, because I think that most of us have asked it at some point in our lives,” Havens said, underscoring the universality of their theme.
Fuqua echoed this sentiment, recounting the tumultuous trajectory of his wife’s illness and the profound uncertainty it engendered. “I felt like what I wanted to say with this song was that God may never show you the answer that you want… But what he does want to do is meet with you in that grief, in that pain, in that sorrow,” Fuqua reflected.
The deeply personal nature of their experiences permeates the lyrics, offering solace to listeners grappling with their own trials. Fuqua’s candid admission that “We don’t have answers to all of Stacy’s stuff” reveals the honesty of the narrative.
Despite the absence of tidy resolutions, the song reverberates with a message of enduring hope. Havens reflected on his own journey of loss and eventual reconciliation with faith, emphasizing the transformative power of hindsight. “In the moment, it’s really hard to see God. But now looking back, I can definitely see his fingerprints all over those moments,” he affirmed.
Fuqua agreed, acknowledging the ongoing challenges his family faces while finding solace in the palpable presence of God amidst the uncertainty. “We have felt that God is with us, and that he’s walking with us… His presence will have to be enough,” Fuqua concluded.
It’s evident that for Havens and Fuqua and those who have embraced “God is With Us” transcends its status as a song; it stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring nature of faith in the face of adversity.
In a world marked by uncertainty and pain, The Afters’ ballad offers a beacon of hope, reminding listeners that they are not alone in their struggles. Through their unwavering honesty and vulnerability, Havens and Fuqua invite audiences to embrace the messy complexities of life while finding solace in the unshakeable presence of a loving God.
“Even when you’re hurting, when you’re struggling, when you’re experiencing loss or tragedy, God is with you right now in this present moment,” Havens said. “And he’s not going to leave you.”
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