Hailing from Toledo, Ohio, contemporary band Sanctus Real is renowned for engaging recordings and live shows. Their hit songs, like “I’m Not Alright,” “We Need Each Other,” “Forgiven,” “Lead Me,” and “Lay it Down,” have won over fans.
The band strives to live out their faith as genuine Christians, not just on stage or with their fans but also in the quieter aspects of their lives as husbands, fathers, and believers. Their music is compelling and authentic, embodying the meaning of their name, which translates to Holy in Latin.
The band’s music is upbeat, and their songs celebrate faith and inspire hope. I find myself singing along to their music with great enthusiasm. I enjoyed speaking with band members Dustin Lolli and Mark Graalman about their catchy and encouraging single, “Dare to Hope.”
Please tell me the personal story behind this song.
We wrote the song as a direct response to one of the hardest headlines we’ve ever faced personally. “Dare to Hope” is a statement for believers to stand in faith against hopeless circumstances. The inspiration for the song comes from the stories of families affected by a tragic school shooting and how they found hope in what appeared to be a hopeless situation.
David Spencer, a songwriter deeply affected by the recent headline, co-wrote the song with us. He shared his experience of how God’s mercy, faithfulness, and goodness manifested during times of pain. As the lyrics say, “I will see my deepest heartache become holy ground.” That’s the inspiration behind this song.
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.”
Isaiah 25:4(NLV): “For You have been a strong place for those who could not help themselves and those in need because of much trouble. You have been in a safe place from the storm and a shadow from the heat. For the breath of the one who shows no pity is like a storm against a wall.”
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.”
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.”
James 1:18-19(VOICE): “We have a special role in His plan. He calls us to life by His message of truth so that we will show the rest of His creatures His goodness and love. Listen, open your ears, harness your desire to speak, and don’t get into a rage so easily, my brothers and sisters.”
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?
“Dare To Hope” calls for anyone impacted by tragedy to believe that God is still with us and that there is still reason to hope because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross. Like Jeremiah wrote in the book of Lamentations: “I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope.” We wrote this song for those with an unimaginable diagnosis, heartache, or tragedy to cry out and sing amid those circumstances and claim they will still choose hope.
God loves me, and He loves you, no matter what. Many people find grace ridiculous because it cannot be earned. We tend to think that our actions determine our worthiness for grace from God, and we judge ourselves and others accordingly. But in reality, this belief is false. There’s always cause to dare to hope.
Lyrics
How do you pick up the pieces of a home that’s torn apart? How do you believe for healing for a grieving broken heart? It’s only by the hope of Jesus that light bursts through the dark To meet us where we are
Hope can’t be shaken by fear Can’t be taken by force Lifts a soul from despair And says it’s worth fighting for
Our God still carries the weight Of this broken world So though my sorrow is great I will dare to hope
I will see my deepest heartache become holy ground Because He turned a cross of suffering into my victory now It’s only by the blood of Jesus, He laid His life down So, my life could be found And that’s why
Hope can’t be shaken by fear Can’t be taken by force Lifts a soul from despair And says it’s worth fighting for
Our God still carries the weight Of this broken world So though my sorrow is great I will dare to hope
For my healing Dare to hope For my family Dare to hope For my future Dare to hope I will dare to hope
For the grieving Dare to hope For my neighbor Dare to hope For my enemies Dare to hope I will dare to hope
Can’t be shaken by fear Can’t be taken by force Lifts a soul from despair And says it’s worth fighting for
Our God still carries the weight Of this broken world So though my sorrow is great I will dare to hope I will dare to hope
In the darkness When I can’t see In the heartache Where I can’t breathe I will dare to hope
Closing Thoughts
In “Dare to Hope,” Sanctus Real marvels at the mystery of a God who stays and gives us reason to hope when we’re ready to give up. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your life? Are you spending time listening to Him? He’ll make you free. God wants to hear from you. With everything going on in our world, we need the encouragement that God is with us, and we’re not alone. There is no day or hour in which our Lord Jesus is absent.
Are we spending too much time thinking about our circumstances and what we can do to improve them, or are we connecting with God’s heart for us? “Do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today.” This quote is from Matthew 6:34 in The Voice translation.
According to the Bible, God reminds us 365 times to “not fear” or “not worry.” It’s a daily reminder to focus on God and His Holy Spirit rather than getting caught up in our worries. It’s essential to seek a daily replenishment of our faith in God.
When we have God by our side, we can overcome any obstacle. This song, a beautiful way to show our devotion, reminds us that our true identity is being a child of God and that He loves us. The key to following Jesus is to walk by faith and to be guided in our daily walk by prayer and God’s infallible Word, the Bible.
God’s Word doesn’t return void, and the song’s lyrics put His words in the mouths of believers, reminding them of the truth of His promises. The Lamentations 3:22-23 passage and this song challenge me to want to know God more deeply and have more faith and security in my relationship with God.
Change your life so that your behavior and lifestyle flow from God. Only Jesus can give us our true identity. What a powerful expression of what it means to accept that God never leaves or forsakes us. He’s all we need. This song pertains to surrendering all your worries, anxieties, and stress to God and allowing Him to guide us. God wants to walk beside us, and He wants us to be bold and unafraid. We’ll never see true beauty if we don’t fully submit to God.
”Dare to Hope” features a testimony of surrender to the Lord, which we can use to pray about our struggles. Our weaknesses are nothing to hide. In fact, through our weaknesses, God’s grace and strength are perfectly revealed. We can’t earn our way into heaven. Jesus already paid that price for us. His mercy and grace are new daily, not based on our performance or what we can do for God. He pours out His mercy despite what we’ve done.
Jesus commands us to trust Him completely. Trusting Jesus assures us that we don’t have to be afraid. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that God loves us so much. That He knows us intimately and wants to fill our hearts with love. We don’t have to pretend, hide, strive, or stand on our tiptoes to meet some mark. He knows our brokenness inside and out. And because of what Jesus did on the cross, He sees us as righteous. God sees us as He sees His Son. It’s not our righteousness or appearance or talent or gifting. It’s just Jesus. That’s the reason to celebrate and sing out the truth: “Hope can’t be shaken by fear/Can’t be taken by force/Lifts a soul from despair/And says it’s worth fighting for//Our God still carries the weight/Of this broken world/So though my sorrow is great/I will dare to hope.” 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.
