Chorus: SVRCINA
You can't keep going at a rate like this
Running for your life when you're meant to live
Gotta keep on breathing
There's too many reasons
No, you can't keep going at a rate like this
Burying the past not to deal with it
Feeling so defeated, yeah, yeah
There's too many reasons
Post-Chorus: SVRCINA
To keep on-
Verse 1: Hulvey
Lost my grandad in '07, still tryna cope to this day
I was wonderin' if he went to heaven, yeah, there ain't nothing I can change
I spent late nights, I was scared to die, I ain't wanna see the grave
I was playing games with my heartbeat instead of slowing down just to pray
You've been reachin' for the hand you thought you'd never grab
But Jesus brings the hope you thought you'd never have (Have, have)
Tired of livin' in a nightmare, Lord, I just wanna hear You
Runnin' 'round the same circle don't make me feel brand new
Pre-Chorus: Hulvey
You gotta know
It ain't over 'cause you got a hand to hold
Let His peace come rushin' through your soul
Too many reasons for you just to let go
There's hope
Chorus: SVRCINA
You can't keep going at a rate like this
Running for your life when you're meant to live
Gotta keep on breathing
There's too many reasons
No, you can't keep going at a rate like this
Burying the past not to deal with it
Feeling so defeated, yeah, yeah
There's too many reasons
Post-Chorus: SVRCINA & Lecrae
To keep on breathing (Oh-oh)
Just keep on, keep on breathing (Oh-oh, yeah)
Verse 2: Lecrae
We lost PJ, we lost C-Dub and lost Lil J to these streets, bruh
Got family members on lockdown, I still pray to God to release them
Put my hope in the Father
All these problems just pushin' me harder
When I feel like I'm ready to fall, I hit my knees and start cryin' my heart out, yeah
Shootouts on the corner, Daddy got corona, trauma singin' us to sleep, yeah
God ain't raised a quitter, this is not the ending, we will never be defeated
No, you don't have to fight these battles on your own
God is in control
Pre-Chorus: Lecrae & Hulvey
You gotta know
It ain't over 'cause you got a hand to hold
Let His peace come rushin' through your soul
Too many reasons for you just to let go
There's hope
Chorus: SVRCINA & Hulvey
You can't keep going at a rate like this
Running for your life when you're meant to live
Gotta keep on breathing
There's too many reasons
No, you can't keep going at a rate like this
Burying the past not to deal with it
Feeling so defeated, yeah, yeah
There's too many reasons
Post-Chorus: SVRCINA, Hulvey, Both
To keep on breathing (Oh-oh, yeah)
Just keep on, keep on breathing (Oh-oh)
To keep on breathing (Oh-oh)
Just keep on, keep on breathing (Oh-oh)
Reasons
Reasons Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
The song "Reasons" featuring SVRCINA and Hulvey, with Lecrae, offers a powerful message of hope and resilience in the face of significant life struggles. The chorus, sung by SVRCINA, serves as an urgent plea to someone living a destructive pace, running from their problems rather than facing them. It highlights the internal conflict of feeling defeated while simultaneously asserting that there are "too many reasons" to continue living and breathing. This central theme is a direct challenge to despair, urging the listener to acknowledge the value of their life despite difficult circumstances and the tendency to bury the past.
Hulvey's verse introduces personal grief and anxiety as specific examples of the challenges addressed in the chorus. He speaks candidly about the lingering pain of losing his grandfather, the fear of death, and a past inclination to engage in risky behavior ("playing games with my heartbeat") instead of seeking spiritual solace. His lines paint a picture of someone caught in a cycle of struggle ("running 'round the same circle"), yet yearning for peace and connection ("Lord, I just wanna hear You"). The verse pivots by introducing the idea that hope, previously thought unattainable, is accessible through faith ("Jesus brings the hope you thought you'd never have"), setting the stage for the song's overarching message of finding strength in the divine.
Lecrae's verse expands on the theme of confronting severe trauma and loss, grounding the message in harsh realities. He lists specific tragedies, including losing friends to street violence and having family members incarcerated, along with personal experiences like shootouts and illness affecting his family. These lines portray a life marked by deep pain and struggle ("trauma singin' us to sleep"). However, his response is one of unwavering faith and determination. He describes turning to prayer and expressing his grief openly before God ("hit my knees and start cryin' my heart out"). His declaration, "God ain't raised a quitter, this is not the ending, we will never be defeated," transforms personal pain into a broader statement of spiritual resilience, emphasizing that these battles do not have to be fought in isolation because "God is in control."
Across the song, the pre-chorus acts as a unifying declaration delivered by both Hulvey and Lecrae. It reinforces the core message that difficulties do not signify the end ("It ain't over") and that there is a source of support ("you got a hand to hold"). This hand is implicitly understood within the context of the verses and genre to represent divine support. The imagery of letting God's "peace come rushin' through your soul" offers a vision of internal healing and comfort. By repeating that there are "Too many reasons for you just to let go," the pre-chorus deliberately uses a double negative to emphasize the abundance of reasons *not* to give up, culminating in the simple, powerful affirmation, "There's hope." The song ultimately provides a narrative arc from feeling overwhelmed and defeated to finding the strength and reasons to persevere, rooted in faith and the belief in divine support, urging the listener simply to "keep on breathing."
