Sanctus Real - When The Good Times End Lyrics
Lyrics
It's hard to be courageous
When you got nothing to fear
You say you are the brave one
It's time to look in the mirror
Drop all pretenses
It's time to get tough
You don't know who you are 'til
Push comes to shove
Right now the dreams still going
Right now your heart's wide open
Who you gonna be when the good times end
When the pain gets real and you can't pretend
That everything's coming up roses
Maybe it's time you own it
Who you gonna be when you're down and out
Are you gonna stand up are you gonna back down
Come and tell me now
Who you gonna be when the good times end
You never see it coming
But it's around the bend
You can keep on running
But every winning streak ends
Do you have a foundation
Or a house built on sand
Who you gonna be when the good times end
When the pain gets real and you can't pretend
That everything's coming up roses
Maybe it's time you own it
Who you gonna be when you're down and out
Are you gonna stand up are you gonna back down
Come and tell me now
Who you gonna be
When the bad news comes
And you can't get back
Something you've lost
Something you've lost
Is your faith enough
To believe that love
Can overcome
Love can overcome
Who you gonna be when the good times end
When the pain gets real and you can't pretend
That everything's coming up roses
Maybe it's time you own it
Who you gonna be when you're down and out
Are you gonna stand up are you gonna back down
Come on and tell me now
Who you gonna be
When the good times end
When the good times end
When the good times end
Video
When The Good Times End
Meaning & Inspiration
Sanctus Real delivers a potent message for our times with their latest single, "When The Good Times End," released on April 19, 2024, as part of their album, *All Along*. This song dives headfirst into the uncomfortable yet essential question of character forged in adversity, challenging individuals to consider their true spiritual foundation before life’s inevitable storms hit. It's a call to honest self-reflection, peeling back layers of complacency to reveal what truly anchors us when the world around us shifts.
The narrative of "When The Good Times End" wastes no time in confronting the illusion of strength during times of ease. It insightfully observes the deceptive nature of courage when no real threat is present, urging a deep, internal examination. This sentiment echoes the wisdom found in James 1:2-4, which encourages us to "consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." The song implores us to drop all pretenses, suggesting that genuine resilience and authentic identity are not discovered in comfort but revealed when life demands grit. It’s a powerful truth: we often don't truly know who we are until our resolve is tested, until push truly comes to shove.
The central inquiry posed by the chorus—"Who you gonna be when the good times end? When the pain gets real and you can't pretend?"—serves as a spiritual mirror, reflecting back the choices we make when confronted with hardship. It dismantles the comfortable fantasy that everything will always be "coming up roses," compelling us to embrace the reality of suffering as a refining fire. This perspective aligns with Romans 5:3-5, which teaches that "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit." The song demands an answer: will we stand firm in our faith or retreat in fear when circumstances turn dire? It’s a direct challenge to own our spiritual convictions before they are truly put to the test.
As the song progresses, it underscores the universal truth that trials are an unavoidable part of the human experience. We rarely anticipate life's significant setbacks, yet they are always "around the bend," reminding us that every "winning streak ends." This acknowledgment of life's unpredictable nature and the impermanence of worldly success leads to one of the song's most biblically resonant questions: "Do you have a foundation or a house built on sand?" This is a direct reference to Jesus's parable in Matthew 7:24-27, where He contrasts the wise builder who builds their house on solid rock—representing those who hear His words and put them into practice—with the foolish builder whose house, built on sand, collapses under the storm. Sanctus Real challenges us to examine the stability of our spiritual ground, urging us to ensure our hope is rooted in something unshakable.
The bridge of "When The Good Times End" elevates the spiritual stakes even further, moving beyond personal character to the core of Christian belief. It asks, "When the bad news comes... Is your faith enough to believe that love can overcome?" This profound question points to the ultimate source of strength and hope in Christ. It’s in moments of loss and despair that our faith is most profoundly tested—can we truly believe in God's redemptive power and enduring love when everything else seems lost? This echoes the triumphant declaration in Romans 8:38-39, that "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." The song ultimately inspires us to recognize that true victory isn't about avoiding hardship, but about finding unwavering faith that God's love triumphs over all, even when the good times end. It's a powerful anthem for resilience, encouraging us to build our lives on the bedrock of Christ's love, preparing us not just to endure, but to overcome.