Is God Punishing Me? | Suzanne Nadell
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.
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.
Called 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.
Follow us on social!
