Bible Connection Podcast: A Good Father
The Scriptures promise an abundant life through Christ. The Bible also makes no bones about suffering. Jesus said, “In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). In this episode, Pastor Chad Veach talks about his own experience of suffering when his daughter received a devastating diagnosis, and what it taught him about hope, empathy, and trusting in the goodness of God.
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Pastor Chad Veach
Pastor Chad Veach founded the Los Angeles-based Zoe Church, named for the Greek word zoe (pronounced zo-ay) which means abundant life or absolute fullness of life. An abundant life in Jesus does not avoid the suffering of a broken world, but provides hope for tomorrow and strength for today.
In this episode, Chad discusses the day when he and his wife Julia received the devastating diagnosis that their first born, Georgia, was born with a brain disorder. In this dark time, he clung to the hope of heaven and faith in a good God as presented in the Bible. As he says, “Because God is good, he doesn’t make these things happen, but he can use them to teach me things; to shape some things in my life that are broken.”
Their experience has since shaped how he relates and ministers to others with empathy. Suffering doesn’t just look like illness; it comes in many ways. But the source of hope is the same: Jesus.
Excerpts from This Podcast
“I didn’t realize how much pain other people were in until I had pain. And then when I had pain, I thought to myself, how would I have ever navigated this without hope?”
“Because God is good, He doesn’t make these things happen, but He can use them to teach me things, to shape some things in my life that are broken.”
“Jesus said I have come—the reason, the purpose for my life, my mission—is that you would have life, and have it more abundantly. The only way you can have abundant life is in Jesus. You can’t get it through accolades, or fame, or success. No fiduciary reality is going to bring you abundant life.”
“What I learned in that experience is there is always a distance between when the dream is received and when the dream is realized. And how you steward the in between is what determines whether you get to walk into the realization of the dream or not.”
“Having suffering, and having sadness, and having sickness, and dealing with grief…. Until you deal with it you can’t relate with people. Now I have empathy. I relate with suffering, and pain, and setback, and ultimately, disappointment.”
“We’ve been talking as a community about guiding our lives based on facts, not feelings. Most of us are so emotionally drunk…and then we get these impure motives and impure actions because we’re so emotional. I think that’s why the Bible says to be of sober mind. Because if you’re not sober mentally you have no sensibility.”
“Show me anyone who’s successful without having disciplines. We serve a God of systems. We’ve got to have a system that helps us grow.”
Featured Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Episode Links:
Zoe Church website
Faith Forward Future: Moving Past Your Disappointments, Delays, and Destructive Thinking
Unreasonable Hope: Finding Faith in the God Who Brings Purpose to Your Pain
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