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LIVE - Wrestling with God, Evil, and Shaken Faith: Honest Questions in a Broken World

Voxology
Voxology
Episode • Oct 16, 2017 • 32m

How does God relate to the hard things in life—tragedy, suffering, anxiety, and injustice? In a raw, unscripted live Q&A from Ohio before heading off to speak at a Campus Crusade retreat, Mike Erre opens up the floor to deep and personal listener questions. Exploring Psalm 55 and themes of divine goodness, human suffering, and theological wrestling, this episode dives into the tension between being told to "cast your cares on the Lord" and still experiencing life's darkest seasons.

Mike reflects on his own struggles with anxiety, updates listeners on the Vox community's transition to Ohio, and speaks pointedly about Christian complicity in the political climate—particularly in response to questions about the Trump administration’s moral failures. He passionately challenges deterministic views of God’s sovereignty and affirms the scriptural witness of a God radically opposed to evil, deeply involved in human healing, and consistently working for redemption even amidst incomprehensible pain.

Key Takeaways: • Understanding “Shaken” in Psalm 55 – Why we may feel unstable even when God promises stability, and how the verse offers assurance in terms of ultimate identity and rescue, not emotional certainty. • Does God Cause Suffering? – A biblical case for the presence of other wills (human and demonic) in the world, and why Jesus never attributes tragedy or harm to God’s direct orchestration. • Jesus vs. Political Powers – How Jesus’ subversive confrontation with religious and political elites informs how we should engage injustice today without allying with or retreating from politics entirely. • The Church’s Role in Divided Times – How the church must lead with hospitality, prophetic critique, and self-examination rather than petty division, especially in a polarized cultural and political landscape. • Life After Ministry Move – Updates on family, Mike’s mom, the Vox community in SoCal and Ohio, and navigating anxiety after a radical transition.

Resources Mentioned: • Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.” • Romans 8:28 – A text often used (and misused) when talking about God's purposes through suffering • Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13) – On the reality of a spiritual enemy intertwined within the world • Past Vox Episodes on Suffering, Evil, and Politics – Check the Archive • Live Q&A Moments – Join future sessions on YouTube or social media

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As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, 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: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre Music by Timothy John Stafford – Website | Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, 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