WEBVTT 00:00:16.210 --> 00:00:18.989 Hey everyone, my name is Austin and welcome back 00:00:18.989 --> 00:00:21.289 to another episode of the Unfiltered Faith Podcast. 00:00:21.570 --> 00:00:23.510 If this is your first time tuning in, I'm so 00:00:23.510 --> 00:00:25.410 glad you're here. And if you've been here before, 00:00:25.649 --> 00:00:27.710 welcome back. Today we're going to be talking 00:00:27.710 --> 00:00:30.210 about a subject that many of us, myself included, 00:00:30.530 --> 00:00:33.109 wrestle with quietly and often alone. Why won't 00:00:33.109 --> 00:00:35.369 God heal me? And then we're going to shift our 00:00:35.369 --> 00:00:38.030 focus to my own personal testimony of acceptance. 00:00:38.530 --> 00:00:40.409 So if you'd like to take notes, I encourage it. 00:00:40.549 --> 00:00:42.170 And while you're at it, have your Bibles out. 00:00:42.219 --> 00:00:43.820 because we're going to be looking through several 00:00:43.820 --> 00:00:46.140 passages of scripture that'll help us with our 00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:52.600 discussion today. So we serve a God who heals. 00:00:52.820 --> 00:00:55.460 That's biblical. That's true. And for many of 00:00:55.460 --> 00:00:58.600 us, we have seen healing with our own eyes. For 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:01.240 so many of us, healing is something we long for, 00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:03.299 whether it's healing from a mental health struggle, 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:06.140 an emotional wound, or even a physical condition. 00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:09.000 We all wish for that moment when the pain, the 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:12.099 hurt, the brokenness is simply gone. Maybe it's 00:01:12.099 --> 00:01:14.079 not just a question. Maybe it's your reality. 00:01:14.620 --> 00:01:17.540 Maybe you've prayed, cried, fasted, believed, 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.060 and still the pain remains. The illness lingers, 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.680 and the breakthrough hasn't come. But what happens 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.000 when that healing doesn't come in the way that 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.819 we want it? What if instead of healing, we are 00:01:28.819 --> 00:01:31.000 called to embrace acceptance and our brokenness? 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.120 James 5, 14 -15 says, Is any among you sick? 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:37.400 Let them call the elders of the church to pray 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:39.840 over them and anoint them in the name of the 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.280 Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:46.180 the sick person well. Isaiah 53, 5 says, By his 00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:49.040 wounds we are healed. The problem is, we often 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:51.739 read these passages as guarantees rather than 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:54.519 expressions of God's will when he chooses to 00:01:54.519 --> 00:01:57.659 act miraculously. We create a culture where faith 00:01:57.659 --> 00:01:59.760 equals outcome. And when the outcome doesn't 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:02.379 change, we question our faith. I want to talk 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:04.260 about something that hits close to home for a 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:06.659 lot of people, especially those who've wrestled 00:02:06.659 --> 00:02:09.259 with disappointment, chronic pain, unanswered 00:02:09.259 --> 00:02:11.659 prayers, or just flat -out silence from heaven. 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:14.219 We're talking about the myth of transactional 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:16.780 faith. This idea that if we do something for 00:02:16.780 --> 00:02:19.360 God, then God owes us something in return. The 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:21.879 belief that if we go to church, stay pure, pray 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:24.979 hard enough, or have enough faith, Then God is 00:02:24.979 --> 00:02:27.599 obligated to bless us, heal us, or give us the 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:29.979 life we envisioned. But what happens when that 00:02:29.979 --> 00:02:32.080 transaction doesn't happen? When the healing 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:34.699 doesn't come? A lot of people approach God like 00:02:34.699 --> 00:02:37.319 they would a vending machine or a genie. If I 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:39.819 press the right buttons, or pray the right way, 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:42.219 or fast long enough, then I'll get what I want. 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:44.780 And to be fair, this is sometimes how we're taught 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:47.759 to relate to God, especially in Western Christianity. 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:50.939 We hear phrases like, sew a seed and you'll reap 00:02:50.939 --> 00:02:53.560 a blessing. If you just have enough faith, you'll 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:56.340 be healed. Speak it and you'll receive it. But 00:02:56.340 --> 00:02:58.280 when things don't happen the way we planned, 00:02:58.599 --> 00:03:01.199 that transactional lens cracks and some people 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:03.780 walk away entirely not necessarily because they 00:03:03.780 --> 00:03:06.020 don't believe in God, but because the version 00:03:06.020 --> 00:03:08.479 of God they believed in didn't deliver. I've 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:10.219 heard a lot of stories about people claiming 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:12.439 to be Christian, but they're now agnostic or 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:14.780 something because they suffered some kind of 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:17.300 church hurt or they had transactional faith and 00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:20.000 they claimed that God didn't hold up his end 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:22.539 of the deal. I'm about to say something and I 00:03:22.539 --> 00:03:25.169 know some of you aren't gonna like it. If you're 00:03:25.169 --> 00:03:27.770 living in a transactional faith, then it's time 00:03:27.770 --> 00:03:30.009 to seriously re -evaluate your walk with God. 00:03:30.530 --> 00:03:33.849 Because something crucial isn't lining up. If 00:03:33.849 --> 00:03:35.830 your relationship with God is based on what you 00:03:35.830 --> 00:03:38.150 can get out of Him, blessings, breakthroughs, 00:03:38.330 --> 00:03:41.750 protection, provision, and not rooted in who 00:03:41.750 --> 00:03:44.610 He is, then you're not walking in faith. You're 00:03:44.610 --> 00:03:47.449 walking in a contract. That's not covenant. That's 00:03:47.449 --> 00:03:49.810 not love. That's not surrender. That's not the 00:03:49.810 --> 00:03:52.639 gospel. Transactional faith says, if I pray hard 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.400 enough, God will bless me. It says, if I give 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:58.020 enough, then God owes me a breakthrough. It says, 00:03:58.139 --> 00:04:00.979 if I behave well, God will reward me with ease 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:03.900 and success. But that's not how God works. God 00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:06.740 is not a vending machine. He's not a genie. He's 00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:09.400 not a business partner. He's a father. And he 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.280 desires a relationship, not a religious exchange. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:15.319 Truth says, even if He doesn't, I will still 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:18.019 worship. It says, even in the valley, He is worthy. 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:21.699 It says, even if the door doesn't open, He is 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:23.879 still good. That's the kind of faith that pleases 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:26.480 God, not the kind that praises Him only when 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:28.939 life is going our way. So if you're in a place 00:04:28.939 --> 00:04:32.939 where your faith feels dry, conditional, or disillusioned, 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.160 maybe it's not because God failed you. Maybe 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:37.339 it's because the version of faith you were taught 00:04:37.339 --> 00:04:40.660 was more about performance than presence, more 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:43.389 about results than relationship. Check your heart. 00:04:43.629 --> 00:04:46.449 Re -evaluate your motives. Strip away the formulas 00:04:46.449 --> 00:04:49.269 and rituals and go back to the simplicity that 00:04:49.269 --> 00:04:52.509 knowing Him and for who He is, not for what He 00:04:52.509 --> 00:04:54.870 can do for you. Because if the cross teaches 00:04:54.870 --> 00:04:58.269 us anything, it's this. God already gave us everything. 00:04:58.529 --> 00:05:01.790 He owes us nothing, and yet He still gives us 00:05:01.790 --> 00:05:05.550 grace upon grace. Let's stop settling for transactional 00:05:05.550 --> 00:05:08.170 faith. Let's start walking in transformational 00:05:08.170 --> 00:05:11.350 faith. Here's the hard truth. God isn't our genie. 00:05:11.420 --> 00:05:14.480 He's our God. He's not a cosmic vending machine. 00:05:14.819 --> 00:05:16.980 He's a holy, sovereign, all -knowing Father. 00:05:17.459 --> 00:05:19.699 And His love isn't based on our performance. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.100 His plans don't revolve around our preferences. 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:25.180 And thank God for that. Because if He gave us 00:05:25.180 --> 00:05:27.680 everything we asked for, when we asked for it, 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:30.399 we'd probably self -destruct. Let me ask you 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:32.860 this. Who made the deal? Who wrote the terms 00:05:32.860 --> 00:05:35.329 and conditions? See, God never promised a pain 00:05:35.329 --> 00:05:37.670 -free life. He promised his presence in the pain. 00:05:38.009 --> 00:05:40.250 He didn't say we wouldn't walk through fire. 00:05:40.449 --> 00:05:43.470 He said he'd walk through it with us. Jesus said 00:05:43.470 --> 00:05:46.769 himself, in this world you will have trouble. 00:05:47.170 --> 00:05:50.170 But take heart, I have overcome the world. John 00:05:50.170 --> 00:05:53.889 16 .33 God's love is a covenant, not a contract. 00:05:54.149 --> 00:05:56.550 Here's the difference. A contract says, I do 00:05:56.550 --> 00:06:00.089 this, you do that. A covenant says, I'm with 00:06:00.089 --> 00:06:03.089 you, no matter what. God's love is covenantal. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.699 He didn't wait for us to get it together before 00:06:05.699 --> 00:06:09.060 He gave us His Son. Romans 5 -8 says, But God 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:11.319 demonstrated His love for us in this while we 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.079 were still sinners Christ died for us. He loved 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:16.839 us at our worst. He pursued us when we were running. 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:20.319 He forgave us before we even asked. This isn't 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:22.579 the love of a genie. This is the love of God. 00:06:23.019 --> 00:06:25.620 So how do we rebuild faith when the deal we thought 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:28.300 we had with God falls apart? Well, for starters, 00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:31.180 number one, we need to reframe our theology. 00:06:31.699 --> 00:06:34.839 Stop basing God's goodness on your current circumstances. 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:37.980 He was good before you were born. He'll be good 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:40.839 long after your situation changes or doesn't. 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:43.339 Number two, be honest with your disappointment. 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:46.720 God is not intimidated by your grief, your anger, 00:06:46.899 --> 00:06:49.600 or your doubt. Look at David in the Psalms. He 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.540 was constantly raw and real, but he kept returning 00:06:52.540 --> 00:06:55.800 to the truth. Number three, worship without the 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:59.089 why. Worship isn't about thanking God because 00:06:59.089 --> 00:07:01.750 life is perfect. It's about declaring who He 00:07:01.750 --> 00:07:04.550 is even when life is far from it. I want to share 00:07:04.550 --> 00:07:07.129 a story on my own journey of acceptance. I was 00:07:07.129 --> 00:07:09.569 born with multiple abnormalities. I was born 00:07:09.569 --> 00:07:12.670 with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, 00:07:13.009 --> 00:07:15.790 and epilepsy. I was counted out before I even 00:07:15.790 --> 00:07:19.050 uttered my first cry. Because of such abnormalities, 00:07:19.329 --> 00:07:21.470 the doctors told my parents that I wouldn't be 00:07:21.470 --> 00:07:23.470 able to walk, talk, or even think for myself. 00:07:24.029 --> 00:07:26.149 High school is going to be extremely difficult, 00:07:26.209 --> 00:07:28.470 and college? Forget about it, it's a distant 00:07:28.470 --> 00:07:31.589 dream. I lived my life pretty normal, or as normal 00:07:31.589 --> 00:07:34.350 as my disability would allow, but you're only 00:07:34.350 --> 00:07:36.769 limited in the abilities if you allow yourself 00:07:36.769 --> 00:07:39.990 to be. However, even though I was doing everything, 00:07:40.069 --> 00:07:42.290 or pretty much everything an able -bodied person 00:07:42.290 --> 00:07:45.050 was doing, I always felt different among my peers. 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:47.740 I was severely bullied because I wasn't what 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:53.120 the world deems normal. I often cried out to 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.399 God wondering why he made me the way that he 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:57.879 did. I've been battling mental health struggles 00:07:57.879 --> 00:08:00.779 since a young age because of it. I came across 00:08:00.779 --> 00:08:03.279 this verse in junior high when I was reading 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.939 the book of John. It says in John 9 -3, neither 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:09.259 this man nor his parents sin, but that the works 00:08:09.259 --> 00:08:12.579 of God can be displayed in him. That verse really 00:08:12.579 --> 00:08:15.149 resonated with me. It's the story of the man 00:08:15.149 --> 00:08:18.149 born blind. Jesus and his disciples were walking 00:08:18.149 --> 00:08:21.069 through Jerusalem, and they saw this blind beggar 00:08:21.069 --> 00:08:23.769 on the street. God spat on the ground, in the 00:08:23.769 --> 00:08:26.110 dirt, covered his eyes with it, and told him 00:08:26.110 --> 00:08:28.209 to wash up in the river. Years later, I would 00:08:28.209 --> 00:08:30.829 get that verse tattooed on my wrist. My story 00:08:30.829 --> 00:08:33.549 is still being written, but what I know for sure 00:08:33.549 --> 00:08:36.129 is that my life, with all its challenges, is 00:08:36.129 --> 00:08:38.710 a living display of God's work. Reading that 00:08:38.710 --> 00:08:41.710 verse in John 9 during junior high changed something 00:08:41.710 --> 00:08:44.750 inside of me. It wasn't an instant fix to all 00:08:44.750 --> 00:08:47.330 my pain, but it was like a small seed of hope 00:08:47.330 --> 00:08:50.190 was planted deep in my heart. A reminder that 00:08:50.190 --> 00:08:52.750 life wasn't the result of some random accident 00:08:52.750 --> 00:08:56.190 or some punishment for wrongdoing. It was intentional, 00:08:56.610 --> 00:08:59.210 designed, purposeful. My challenges weren't meant 00:08:59.210 --> 00:09:01.669 to break me. They were meant to reveal God's 00:09:01.669 --> 00:09:04.409 glory through me. But if I'm being honest, even 00:09:04.409 --> 00:09:07.269 that powerful truth echoing in my mind, living 00:09:07.269 --> 00:09:09.690 it out was a whole different battle. There were 00:09:09.690 --> 00:09:12.269 still so many days where the sense of being different 00:09:12.269 --> 00:09:15.149 weighed heavily on me, to make me normal like 00:09:15.149 --> 00:09:18.210 everyone else. I'd find myself crying so hard 00:09:18.210 --> 00:09:21.350 that no words would come out of my lips, only 00:09:21.350 --> 00:09:24.230 sounds. And yet often nothing seemed to happen, 00:09:24.309 --> 00:09:26.629 at least not in the way I wanted or expected. 00:09:27.409 --> 00:09:30.110 The world around me stayed the same. My challenges 00:09:30.110 --> 00:09:32.909 remained. The healing I had prayed for didn't 00:09:32.909 --> 00:09:36.049 look like what I had imagined. And in those moments, 00:09:36.690 --> 00:09:38.450 disappointment crept in quietly and heavily. 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:41.419 I began to wrestle with deep questions, ones 00:09:41.419 --> 00:09:43.679 I didn't always have the courage to say out loud. 00:09:44.100 --> 00:09:46.740 God, did you forget about me? Did you hear me 00:09:46.740 --> 00:09:48.899 at all? Is this really the life you meant for 00:09:48.899 --> 00:09:51.620 me? Is this what healing is supposed to look 00:09:51.620 --> 00:09:54.519 like? Have you ever felt like that? Like you're 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:56.519 standing at the edge of a breakthrough, waiting 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:59.279 for God to move, waiting for some sign that the 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.379 tide is about to turn, and everything else just 00:10:02.379 --> 00:10:05.059 stays still. If you have, just know you're not 00:10:05.059 --> 00:10:08.230 alone. I've been there too. My whole life, well 00:10:08.230 --> 00:10:10.309 maybe not my whole life, that's a bit dramatic. 00:10:10.669 --> 00:10:12.789 But as long as I can remember, a lot of the time 00:10:12.789 --> 00:10:14.610 when I'm out in public, I'm being approached 00:10:14.610 --> 00:10:16.809 by someone asking to pray for healing for me 00:10:16.809 --> 00:10:20.070 because of my disability. And although I understand 00:10:20.070 --> 00:10:22.710 the sentiment and I admire their bravery for 00:10:22.710 --> 00:10:24.950 going up to a complete stranger and ministering 00:10:24.950 --> 00:10:27.090 to them, I always find it kind of strange that 00:10:27.090 --> 00:10:29.909 people automatically assume I want healing. I've 00:10:29.909 --> 00:10:32.429 been asked by several people, do you want God 00:10:32.429 --> 00:10:35.029 to heal your situation? And I look at them and 00:10:35.029 --> 00:10:37.450 I tell them no. Because God revealed to me a 00:10:37.450 --> 00:10:40.490 long time ago that he has big plans for me, and 00:10:40.490 --> 00:10:42.470 he's gonna use my situation for his glory. It 00:10:42.470 --> 00:10:44.090 says so in that verse. I've been watching The 00:10:44.090 --> 00:10:46.009 Chosen, and if you haven't seen it, I highly 00:10:46.009 --> 00:10:48.529 recommend you watch it. But in this one scene, 00:10:48.909 --> 00:10:51.389 James approaches Jesus and asks him why he hasn't 00:10:51.389 --> 00:10:55.129 healed him. Jesus explains to James that not 00:10:55.129 --> 00:10:57.450 healing him is not a sign of rejection or a lack 00:10:57.450 --> 00:11:00.029 of love, but serves a greater purpose for his 00:11:00.029 --> 00:11:03.029 life and faith. Jesus emphasizes that James' 00:11:03.230 --> 00:11:05.470 faith in the strength it will provide in his 00:11:05.419 --> 00:11:08.519 future ministry is more valuable than a physical 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:11.440 healing. Jesus highlights that James' story as 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.460 someone who knew his faith without physical healing 00:11:13.460 --> 00:11:15.879 will be a powerful one, demonstrating the strength 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:18.419 of his trust in God. Nick Vojchich is one of 00:11:18.419 --> 00:11:20.500 my favorite motivational speakers. You've probably 00:11:20.500 --> 00:11:22.679 heard of him, and if you haven't, look him up 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:24.919 on YouTube and I promise you he will change your 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:27.659 perspective on the way you look at things. He 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:30.039 was born without arms or legs. but he says he 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:32.320 keeps a pair of shoes in his closet for the day 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:34.399 that God gives him arms and legs. But what if 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:36.600 the point of all of this isn't to get what we 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:38.919 want from God, but to stay with him even when 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:41.539 we don't? One of the most powerful passages on 00:11:41.539 --> 00:11:44.600 this topic comes from Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, 00:11:44.700 --> 00:11:48.120 7 -9. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:51.059 conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh. Three 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:53.039 times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:55.779 from me, but he said to me, My grace is sufficient 00:11:55.779 --> 00:11:58.279 for you, for my power is made perfect in your 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:01.269 weakness. So, let's unpack this passage for a 00:12:01.269 --> 00:12:04.009 moment. Paul pleaded, not just as casually, he 00:12:04.009 --> 00:12:06.549 begged. God didn't remove the affliction, but 00:12:06.549 --> 00:12:09.230 he responded, he didn't say no, he said, you 00:12:09.230 --> 00:12:11.669 already have what you need. Could it be that 00:12:11.669 --> 00:12:13.809 sometimes God leaves certain things unhealed, 00:12:13.950 --> 00:12:16.029 not because he's absent, but because he's doing 00:12:16.029 --> 00:12:18.730 something deeper? What might God be doing when 00:12:18.730 --> 00:12:21.190 healing doesn't come? Well, number one, he might 00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:24.210 be building dependence on him. When healing doesn't 00:12:24.210 --> 00:12:27.169 come, we learn that God's presence is more valuable 00:12:27.169 --> 00:12:29.529 than his presence. Our relationship with Him 00:12:29.529 --> 00:12:31.610 deepens because we're not just chasing relief, 00:12:31.870 --> 00:12:34.710 we're clinging to the Father. This kind of dependence 00:12:34.710 --> 00:12:37.370 transforms our prayer life from transactional 00:12:37.370 --> 00:12:39.950 to relational. It echoes the prayer of David 00:12:39.950 --> 00:12:43.330 in Psalm 63, 1. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh 00:12:43.330 --> 00:12:46.429 faints for you. 2. He might be shaping compassion 00:12:46.429 --> 00:12:49.690 in our hearts. Pain humbles us. It removes judgment 00:12:49.690 --> 00:12:52.450 and replaces it with empathy. We begin to see 00:12:52.450 --> 00:12:54.909 others through eyes softened by the suffering. 00:12:55.190 --> 00:12:57.940 When we walk through the valley and become guides 00:12:57.940 --> 00:13:01.080 for others navigating similar terrain. We understand 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:03.779 them, cry with them, and become the very comfort 00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:07.860 of Christ to them. 3. He is revealing his strength. 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:10.539 God's power doesn't always show up in fireworks. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:13.279 It often shines brightest in fragile people. 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:16.159 When we are weak, we become transparent vessels 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:18.759 for his strength. People see God's sustaining 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:21.779 grace in us. We become living testimonies that 00:13:21.779 --> 00:13:25.000 grace is not just a theological idea, but a real 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:28.320 daily power that holds us up. Number four. He's 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:30.879 producing endurance. When we're in a place of 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.039 waiting, when healing doesn't come as quickly 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:35.659 or as completely as we hope, it can feel like 00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:38.019 we're stuck in a never -ending trial. And that's 00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:41.200 when we start asking, what is God doing? What's 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.159 the purpose behind this ongoing struggle? Endurance 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:46.580 doesn't just happen overnight. It's just like 00:13:46.580 --> 00:13:48.919 building muscle. You can't expect to lift heavy 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:51.240 weights the first time you try. You have to keep 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:53.960 showing up, even when it's hard. And as we endure, 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:56.659 we grow in character. We become more rooted in 00:13:56.659 --> 00:13:59.620 faith, more dependent on God, and more compassionate 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.000 towards others who are suffering. This growth 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:04.620 leads us to hope. The hope that, even in the 00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:07.320 pain, God is working in us and through us for 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.159 his glory. Romans 5, 3 -4 says, not only so, 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.320 but Also, glory in our suffering, because we 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:17.179 know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance 00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:20.019 character, and character hope. There is a progression 00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:22.759 here. Suffering is not a detour in our spiritual 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:25.840 journey. It is a part of the path. God uses it 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:28.379 to refine us, strengthen our resilience, deepen 00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:31.620 our maturity, and anchor our hope. Not in circumstances, 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:34.700 but in his character. This isn't the shallow 00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:37.320 hope that things will get better. It's the steady 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:39.779 hope that even if they don't, God is still good. 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:43.320 The Bible gives us a profound answer. God often 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:46.299 uses seasons of waiting, pain, or suffering to 00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:49.019 build endurance within us. Endurance is the ability 00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:51.639 to keep going, even when the road is rough. It's 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:53.960 not about pretending everything is okay. It's 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:55.740 about finding the strength to continue moving 00:14:55.740 --> 00:14:57.980 forward, trusting that God is with us in the 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:00.299 struggle. The suffering we experience, whether 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:03.009 physical, emotional, or spiritual, isn't wasted. 00:15:03.169 --> 00:15:05.450 In fact, it's used by God to produce something 00:15:05.450 --> 00:15:09.049 deeper in us, perseverance or endurance. Endurance 00:15:09.049 --> 00:15:11.289 is the ability to keep going, even when we don't 00:15:11.289 --> 00:15:13.929 feel like we can. It's easy to think that suffering 00:15:13.929 --> 00:15:16.070 means we've done something wrong or that God 00:15:16.070 --> 00:15:18.970 is distant, but the Bible teaches something different. 00:15:19.409 --> 00:15:22.110 God doesn't abandon us in our suffering. He uses 00:15:22.110 --> 00:15:25.730 it to shape us. James 1, 2 through 4 says, Consider 00:15:25.730 --> 00:15:28.009 it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever 00:15:28.009 --> 00:15:30.950 you face trials of many kinds, because you know 00:15:30.950 --> 00:15:33.509 that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 00:15:33.610 --> 00:15:36.529 God uses these moments of trials to develop maturity 00:15:36.529 --> 00:15:39.210 and completeness in us. The pain we experience 00:15:39.210 --> 00:15:42.090 doesn't define us, but it refines us. It's a 00:15:42.090 --> 00:15:44.809 process of being stretched, refined, and ultimately 00:15:44.809 --> 00:15:47.340 strengthened in our faith. So, if you're walking 00:15:47.340 --> 00:15:49.379 through a season where healing doesn't seem to 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:52.179 be coming, remember this. God is producing endurance 00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:54.539 in you. He's building a kind of strength that 00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:57.340 can withstand the hardest storms. He's developing 00:15:57.340 --> 00:15:59.879 your character and deepening your hope. Not just 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:02.320 for the day of healing, but for the eternal promise 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:05.080 of His presence, even in the pain. It doesn't 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:07.720 make the waiting easy, but it does give us perspective. 00:16:07.950 --> 00:16:10.149 In the midst of our struggles, we can trust that 00:16:10.149 --> 00:16:12.889 God is with us, and when we endure, we don't 00:16:12.889 --> 00:16:15.870 just survive, we thrive, growing in a way that 00:16:15.870 --> 00:16:18.350 we never would have if everything came easily. 00:16:18.610 --> 00:16:20.870 Think about it. When has a difficult time in 00:16:20.870 --> 00:16:23.629 your life led you to develop strength or resilience 00:16:23.629 --> 00:16:26.389 you didn't have before? When you look back, can 00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:29.169 you see how God used the strength to refine you 00:16:29.169 --> 00:16:31.809 and build endurance in you? God is often more 00:16:31.809 --> 00:16:34.210 committed to our growth than our comfort. That's 00:16:34.210 --> 00:16:36.750 not easy, but it's love. A love that doesn't 00:16:36.750 --> 00:16:39.980 just want us healed. It wants us whole. And sometimes 00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.159 that wholeness comes not through what God takes 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:44.620 away, but through what He teaches us to carry 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:48.259 with Him. By focusing on how God can be producing 00:16:48.259 --> 00:16:50.320 endurance in our lives during periods of waiting, 00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:53.460 we can shift our perspective on suffering. We 00:16:53.460 --> 00:16:56.019 may not understand why healing doesn't come immediately, 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.379 but we can trust that God is at work with us, 00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:02.960 using the time of waiting to shape us for His 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:06.000 purpose. We know that God can heal. In the Gospels, 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:08.380 we read about Jesus healing the sick, giving 00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:10.859 sight to the blind, and raising the dead. God 00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:13.720 is certainly capable of healing, and he has demonstrated 00:17:13.720 --> 00:17:15.880 his power and compassion through these miracles. 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:18.480 But does that mean that healing is always guaranteed, 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:21.319 or that it will come in the way we expect? Paul 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.759 doesn't receive the healing he desires, but he 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.940 receives something far greater, God's presence, 00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:29.000 his grace, and his power. And through that, Paul 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.680 learns to rely not on his own strength, but on 00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:34.289 God's. In this way, we can see that sometimes 00:17:34.289 --> 00:17:36.869 God answers our prayers for healing is not no, 00:17:37.049 --> 00:17:40.990 but not yet, or not in the way we expect. Healing 00:17:40.990 --> 00:17:43.470 may come, but it may come in the form of grace, 00:17:43.750 --> 00:17:45.769 strength, and peace in the midst of our pain. 00:17:46.210 --> 00:17:48.589 This doesn't mean the suffering is easy, but 00:17:48.589 --> 00:17:50.690 it does mean that God doesn't leave us to face 00:17:50.690 --> 00:17:53.450 it alone. In the Bible, we see many stories of 00:17:53.450 --> 00:17:56.009 people who experience suffering, unanswered prayers, 00:17:56.190 --> 00:17:59.289 and waiting on God. One of the most famous examples 00:17:59.289 --> 00:18:01.849 comes from the book of Job. Job, a righteous 00:18:01.849 --> 00:18:04.150 man, lost everything, his health, his wealth, 00:18:04.170 --> 00:18:06.829 and his family. He was in agony, and for much 00:18:06.829 --> 00:18:09.569 of the book, he pleads with God, asking why this 00:18:09.569 --> 00:18:12.009 suffering has come upon him. His friends offer 00:18:12.009 --> 00:18:14.690 him advice, but it's not until the final chapters 00:18:14.690 --> 00:18:17.549 that God speaks and his answer isn't what Job 00:18:17.549 --> 00:18:21.289 expects. In Job 38, God doesn't explain why Job 00:18:21.289 --> 00:18:24.150 is suffering. Instead, he speaks to the vastness 00:18:24.150 --> 00:18:26.609 of his creation, the complexity of his purpose, 00:18:26.930 --> 00:18:29.190 and the mystery of his ways. It's a humbling 00:18:29.190 --> 00:18:31.589 reminder that God's understanding is beyond ours. 00:18:32.289 --> 00:18:35.029 Job doesn't get the answer he wants, but he does 00:18:35.029 --> 00:18:37.410 get a deeper understanding of who God is, and 00:18:37.410 --> 00:18:39.970 he responds by trusting God even in his pain. 00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:43.089 In a similar way, many of us find ourselves asking 00:18:43.089 --> 00:18:45.730 why in times of suffering, only to discover that 00:18:45.730 --> 00:18:48.769 the answer might not be what we expect or even 00:18:48.769 --> 00:18:51.190 want. But that doesn't mean that God isn't listening. 00:18:51.369 --> 00:18:53.750 It doesn't mean that our pain is unnoticed or 00:18:53.750 --> 00:18:56.670 unimportant. God sees us in our suffering. I 00:18:56.670 --> 00:18:58.769 think it's important for us to allow ourselves 00:18:58.769 --> 00:19:01.049 to feel the full weight of those unanswered prayers. 00:19:01.509 --> 00:19:03.769 It's okay to feel frustrated. It's okay to feel 00:19:03.769 --> 00:19:06.589 disappointed. You don't need to rush to a place 00:19:06.589 --> 00:19:09.910 of easy prayers. Sometimes just sitting with 00:19:09.910 --> 00:19:12.309 the pain and being honest with God about it is 00:19:12.309 --> 00:19:15.250 an act of faith itself. One of the hardest parts 00:19:15.250 --> 00:19:17.329 of this journey is the mystery of God's will. 00:19:17.849 --> 00:19:20.609 We know that God is good and that he has power 00:19:20.609 --> 00:19:23.559 to heal. So why does he sometimes choose not 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.599 to? The truth is, we don't always know why God 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:28.940 allowed suffering. We can't fully understand 00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:31.259 his ways, but there are a few things we can hold 00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:33.980 onto when we don't have all the answers. First, 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.859 God's ultimate goal is not just to make us comfortable, 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:40.140 but to make us more like Christ. As Romans 8 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:43.339 .28 says, we know that in all things God works 00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:46.240 for the good of those who love him and who have 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:49.200 called according to his purpose, even in the 00:19:49.200 --> 00:19:51.589 pain. God is working to shape us, to draw us 00:19:51.589 --> 00:19:53.930 closer to Him, and to make us more like Jesus. 00:19:54.430 --> 00:19:57.170 That's a truth we can trust, even when it's hard 00:19:57.170 --> 00:19:59.750 to see in the moment. Second, suffering connects 00:19:59.750 --> 00:20:02.470 us to others. There's a mysterious way that our 00:20:02.470 --> 00:20:05.190 pain can lead us to greater compassion for others 00:20:05.190 --> 00:20:08.609 who are suffering. In 2 Corinthians 1 -3 -4, 00:20:08.730 --> 00:20:11.289 Paul writes that God comforts us in our troubles 00:20:11.289 --> 00:20:14.210 so that we can comfort others with the same comfort 00:20:14.210 --> 00:20:16.950 we've received. Sometimes our experiences of 00:20:16.950 --> 00:20:20.970 pain make us more empathetic. more aware of the 00:20:20.970 --> 00:20:23.769 needs of others around us. God may allow us to 00:20:23.769 --> 00:20:26.309 suffer, not because He is indifferent, but because 00:20:26.309 --> 00:20:29.490 He knows how our pain can help us minister to 00:20:29.490 --> 00:20:32.250 others. And finally, we trust that God's ways 00:20:32.250 --> 00:20:36.009 are higher than ours. Isaiah 55, 8 -9 reminds 00:20:36.009 --> 00:20:38.470 us, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither 00:20:38.470 --> 00:20:41.990 are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As 00:20:41.990 --> 00:20:44.250 the heavens are higher than the earth, so are 00:20:44.250 --> 00:20:47.490 my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts higher 00:20:47.490 --> 00:20:50.609 than yours. This is a humbling truth, but it's 00:20:50.609 --> 00:20:53.210 also a comforting one. Even when we don't understand, 00:20:53.569 --> 00:20:55.910 we can trust that God is good and that he is 00:20:55.910 --> 00:20:59.150 working all things for his glory and ultimately 00:20:59.150 --> 00:21:01.990 our good. So if you're listening today and you 00:21:01.990 --> 00:21:03.869 find yourself in the midst of a season where 00:21:03.869 --> 00:21:06.950 healing hasn't come, what can you do? How can 00:21:06.950 --> 00:21:09.789 you keep going? Here are a few practical steps. 00:21:10.269 --> 00:21:13.170 Number one, rest in God's presence. It's tempting 00:21:13.170 --> 00:21:15.450 to feel like God is distant when our prayers 00:21:15.450 --> 00:21:17.769 go unanswered. But the truth is, God is with 00:21:17.769 --> 00:21:20.589 us, even in silence. He promises to never leave 00:21:20.589 --> 00:21:23.289 us or forsake us. Spend time in His presence, 00:21:23.549 --> 00:21:26.309 whether through prayer, worship, or reading scripture. 00:21:27.069 --> 00:21:29.650 Even when you don't feel healed, you can find 00:21:29.650 --> 00:21:33.890 peace in His nearness. 2. Allow yourself to grieve. 00:21:34.150 --> 00:21:36.549 Healing isn't just physical. It's emotional, 00:21:36.609 --> 00:21:39.630 mental, and spiritual. If you're grieving over 00:21:39.630 --> 00:21:42.009 unmet expectations, over unanswered prayers, 00:21:42.250 --> 00:21:44.869 Give yourself permission to mourn. God is near 00:21:44.869 --> 00:21:47.029 to the brokenhearted. You don't need to rush 00:21:47.029 --> 00:21:49.730 through grief. It's part of the process. Number 00:21:49.730 --> 00:21:52.769 three, lean on the community. Suffering can be 00:21:52.769 --> 00:21:54.910 isolating, but you don't have to go through it 00:21:54.910 --> 00:21:57.269 alone. Share your pain with trusted friends, 00:21:57.430 --> 00:22:00.190 family, or a church community. Let others pray 00:22:00.190 --> 00:22:02.789 with you or for you. There's power in walking 00:22:02.789 --> 00:22:05.549 through pain together. Number four, look for 00:22:05.549 --> 00:22:08.299 God's purpose in the pain. It's not easy. but 00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:10.960 ask God to show you what he is teaching you through 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:14.019 this season. Are there areas of growth he's working 00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:16.599 on in your heart? Is he drawing you closer to 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:19.980 himself in a way that wouldn't happen without 00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:22.539 the suffering? Number five, hold on to hope. 00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:25.380 While healing may not come in the way you expect 00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:28.799 it in this life, remember hope of eternal life. 00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:31.839 In Revelations 21 -4, we are promised that God 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:34.519 will one day wipe away every tear and end all 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.329 pain. and make everything new. That is the ultimate 00:22:37.329 --> 00:22:39.910 healing we can look forward to. High school was 00:22:39.910 --> 00:22:42.650 pretty challenging, but I graduated. College 00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:45.509 is a dream. Well, someone better wake me up because 00:22:45.509 --> 00:22:48.029 I'm in college right now. You guys are probably 00:22:48.029 --> 00:22:49.769 wondering, Austin, what's the point of telling 00:22:49.769 --> 00:22:52.970 us all this? Well, because 26 years ago, my parents 00:22:52.970 --> 00:22:55.730 prayed that they didn't care how I looked, but 00:22:55.730 --> 00:22:58.150 all they cared about was that I had a sharp mind. 00:22:58.430 --> 00:23:01.369 So even though my prayer to take away my abnormalities 00:23:01.369 --> 00:23:03.910 haven't been answered, theirs was. And you know 00:23:03.910 --> 00:23:06.190 what? I'm okay with that. If you're struggling 00:23:06.190 --> 00:23:08.549 today, I want to remind you of something. You 00:23:08.549 --> 00:23:11.650 were not forgotten. God sees your pain. He understands 00:23:11.650 --> 00:23:14.470 your heartache, and He is with you, even in the 00:23:14.470 --> 00:23:16.730 waiting. Healing may not come in the way you 00:23:16.730 --> 00:23:19.309 expect, but God's grace is sufficient for today. 00:23:19.970 --> 00:23:22.589 His love for you is unwavering, and He is working 00:23:22.589 --> 00:23:25.529 all things for your good. So keep going, keep 00:23:25.529 --> 00:23:28.329 trusting, and keep believing God's story for 00:23:28.329 --> 00:23:31.150 you is not finished yet. Before we wrap up today's 00:23:31.150 --> 00:23:33.029 episode, I just want to leave you with this. 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:35.720 If you're in a season of waiting, a season of 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:38.539 pain, or a season where healing feels far away, 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.579 know this, your story isn't over. God's love 00:23:41.579 --> 00:23:44.079 for you is steadfast, and even when healing doesn't 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:46.579 come in the way we hope, His presence is always 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:49.380 near. I know it's not easy, and the path may 00:23:49.380 --> 00:23:51.640 feel uncertain, but there is grace for today. 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:54.039 There is strength for the journey, and there 00:23:54.039 --> 00:23:57.339 is hope beyond what we can see right now. If 00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:59.420 you're listening right now, and you feel let 00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:02.680 down by God, can I just say, He sees you. He 00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:05.339 knows what you're carrying, and you're not alone. 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:07.799 But don't trade away your faith just because 00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:10.359 the genie didn't show up. Because maybe what 00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:13.579 you needed wasn't a genie, but it was God. Maybe 00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:15.960 the greater miracle isn't that the pain went 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:18.799 away, but that you're still here, still breathing, 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:21.880 and still reaching. God's love isn't a transaction, 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:25.160 it's transformational, and he's not finished 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:27.160 with your story yet. Thank you for tuning in 00:24:27.160 --> 00:24:29.690 today on the Unfiltered Faith Podcast. If this 00:24:29.690 --> 00:24:31.910 episode resonated with you, I encourage you to 00:24:31.910 --> 00:24:33.910 reach out to someone you trust, whether it's 00:24:33.910 --> 00:24:36.670 a friend, a mentor, or a faith community, and 00:24:36.670 --> 00:24:39.329 share what's on your heart. You don't have to 00:24:39.329 --> 00:24:41.309 walk this road alone. If you found something 00:24:41.309 --> 00:24:43.269 in today's episode that encouraged you, please 00:24:43.269 --> 00:24:45.670 share it with others who might need it in this 00:24:45.670 --> 00:24:48.309 reminder. Let's continue walking through life 00:24:48.309 --> 00:24:51.309 with faith, hope, and a deep trust, even in the 00:24:51.309 --> 00:24:53.890 waiting God is at work. I'd love to connect with 00:24:53.890 --> 00:24:56.150 you. Follow me on Instagram at the Unfiltered 00:24:56.150 --> 00:24:59.009 Faith Podcast. I'm also on Discord. I created 00:24:59.009 --> 00:25:02.069 the Unfiltered Faith Podcast Discord server because 00:25:02.069 --> 00:25:04.130 I knew people needed more than just a podcast. 00:25:04.470 --> 00:25:07.089 They needed a community, a place to go beyond 00:25:07.089 --> 00:25:10.269 listening and actually connect. A space where 00:25:10.269 --> 00:25:12.349 faith doesn't have to be polished or perfect, 00:25:12.829 --> 00:25:15.650 but real raw and honest. I wanted to build a 00:25:15.650 --> 00:25:18.289 supportive environment where people could grow 00:25:18.289 --> 00:25:21.470 together, ask hard questions, share their struggles. 00:25:21.690 --> 00:25:24.609 and walk in faith without filters. This server 00:25:24.609 --> 00:25:27.529 is an extension of that mission, to remind every 00:25:27.529 --> 00:25:29.670 person that they're not alone and that their 00:25:29.670 --> 00:25:32.029 unfiltered faith is still deeply seen and loved 00:25:32.029 --> 00:25:34.730 by God. Until next time, keep seeking those fresh 00:25:34.730 --> 00:25:36.809 perspectives and keep having those unfiltered 00:25:36.809 --> 00:25:39.150 conversations with someone to better understand 00:25:39.150 --> 00:25:40.210 the world around us.