Episode 4 – Is God Punishing Me? | Suzanne Nadell

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Episode Summary

When something painful happens, it is easy to wonder: Did I do something wrong? Is God punishing me? Bobby McGraw sits down with Suzanne Nadell to talk about that question through the lens of her own story, including two separate cancer diagnoses, years of uncertainty, and a faith that changed along the way.

Suzanne shares honestly about being angry with God, powering through pain, and learning to slow down enough to process what was actually happening. She also reflects on how suffering clarified her sense of purpose and taught her to receive help from others. For anyone facing a diagnosis, disappointment, or season that simply feels unfair, this conversation offers a reminder that hardship is not proof that God has abandoned you.

Key Takeaways

●     A painful season is not proof that God is punishing you.

●     You can be angry, frustrated, or confused with God and still keep turning toward Him.

●     God can bring good from painful circumstances without pretending the pain itself is good.

●     Sometimes healing includes slowing down instead of immediately trying to fix or outrun what hurts.

●     Other people matter in hard seasons. Let them show up, help, listen, and carry some of the weight.

Chapter Markers

00:00 - Welcome to Suzanne Nadell

03:43 - Growing Up With Faith That Felt Like Rules

06:51 - Finding a Faith of Her Own

08:03 - Suzanne’s First Cancer Diagnosis

10:25 - Facing Cancer as a Young Mom

12:34 - What Cancer Did to Her Faith

14:52 - A Second Cancer Diagnosis

16:20 - When Suzanne Got Angry With God

18:24 - What She Did With the Anger

21:02 - The Moment She Finally Stopped and Felt It

24:23 - Is God Punishing Me?

26:14 - What Romans 8:28 Really Meant to Suzanne

28:23 - How Suffering Changed Her Faith

30:14 - Following the Nudges She Had Ignored

32:04 - Why God’s Timing Can Feel So Slow

34:31 - What to Do in the Middle of a Diagnosis

37:22 - Letting Other People Show Up

40:09 - How Suzanne’s Calling Became Clearer

42:25 - She Leads Church and Finding Your People

44:12 - Remember That You Are Loved

Links and Mentions

●     Wired to Lead - Suzanne’s book about leadership lessons she learned in newsrooms and what those lessons taught her about leading in the church.

●     SuzanneNadell.com - Suzanne’s website with information about her book, speaking, and current work.

●     To All of It - Suzanne’s program for women navigating faith, family, and career.

●     She Leads Church - A community and conference for Christian women in leadership. Visit SheLeadsChurch.com.

●     CaringBridge - Suzanne used CaringBridge as an online journal during both cancer experiences.

●     Rooted - A church program Suzanne was participating in around the time of her second cancer diagnosis.

●     Romans 8:28 - A passage Suzanne says became central to how she understood God working through both the good and painful parts of her story.

Listen to the full episode of You Asked, Let’s Talk, follow the podcast, and share this conversation with someone who is going through something hard and wondering where God is in the middle of it.