Wrestling with Unanswered Prayer and the Mystery of Suffering
Voxology
Voxology
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 23 January 2019
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What do we do when God doesn’t answer our most desperate prayers? In this deeply vulnerable and honest Q&A episode, Mike Erre responds to a gut-wrenching listener question about the nature of prayer, suffering, and whether God actually intervenes the way we hope he does. This episode journeys into the pain of unanswered prayer, the theological confusion surrounding it, and how to remain faithful and hope-filled in the midst of heartbreak. Drawing from personal experience as a parent of a child with Down syndrome, Mike dives into the mystery of why suffering exists and challenges common Christian clichés that often do more harm than good.
Listeners will find comfort, theological nuance, and practical wisdom as Mike affirms God’s goodness in a broken world and explores how prayer is less about outcomes and more about relationship and trust.
Key Takeaways:
• Why “God wants us to suffer” is a harmful and theologically unsound explanation for unanswered prayer.
• Viewing birth defects and tragedy as consequences of a fallen world, not God’s plan or punishment.
• How God sometimes brings beauty from brokenness—but not because he caused the brokenness.
• The limitations of circular logic and religious platitudes, and why lament is a deeply faithful response.
• The true heart of prayer as communion with God, rather than a transaction to get what we want.
• Affirming God’s goodness amid mystery and grief: “I don’t know” is sometimes the most faithful answer.
Resources Mentioned:
• Episode 165 – “Suffering, Doubt, and the Mystery of Prayer” – [Listen Here]
• Is God to Blame? by Greg Boyd – [Link]
• Romans 8: Creation groaning and the hope of redemption – [Link]
Call to Action:
Struggling with prayer or suffering? You’re not alone in your questions, doubts, or grief. Join us in this ongoing conversation about what faithfulness looks like in the absence of simple answers. Subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help us reach more folks navigating spiritual deconstruction and rediscovery.
As always, we would love discussion and connection as we walk this road together. Email your reflections and questions to [email protected] and engage with us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon
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Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre
Music by Timothy John Stafford
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.
Our Merch Store! ETSY
Learn more about the Voxology Podcast
Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify
Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon
The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio
Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook
Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre
Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | For He does not want us to suffer. |
| 0:10.0 | The world that God built for us would have had opposition and would have required effort. |
| 0:16.0 | But suffering is a consequence of the entrance of sin and death. It's not something that God originally planned for us. |
| 0:27.6 | Hello everybody, Mike here. Welcome to the show. |
| 0:32.6 | Thank you so much for tuning in in the Vox podcast. |
| 0:35.6 | We're thrilled that you would take the time to allow us to be part of your journey. |
| 0:41.5 | If you're driving in the car or if you're working out or if you're sitting at work or if you're trying to go to sleep, which I think a lot of people have said this is very helpful in putting them to sleep. |
| 0:56.1 | So whatever you're doing, hey, I hope you're having a great day. |
| 0:59.3 | It is 23 degrees. |
| 1:01.2 | Today in suburban Columbus, Ohio, I am wearing slippers. |
| 1:04.5 | Not to anyone cares except that I've never worn slippers before, |
| 1:08.1 | but this winter thing, I'm wearing slippers. So there, |
| 1:13.0 | there is that. And I'm reminded again of, uh, of, I cannot believe that I moved from Orange |
| 1:19.4 | County, California to Columbus, Ohio, um, because January is such a long, dreary month. But we have |
| 1:27.3 | so much good fodder for conversation that I can't help |
| 1:32.3 | myself. I think we've, seven questions to try to get through. I'm going to try to keep the Q&A ones a bit |
| 1:38.7 | shorter, especially if I'm by myself like I am today. I imagine that gets pretty monotonous. |
| 1:45.0 | So if you're trying to go to sleep, I think this is a great one to listen to. |
| 1:49.0 | Otherwise, we'll see if we can make it interesting. |
| 1:54.0 | Some of the questions are incredible. |
| 1:56.0 | This is from a young man who says, |
| 1:58.0 | Dear Mike, I know this question has probably been asked |
... |
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