Life.Church with Craig Groeschel

Episode: When God Doesn’t Do It | Christian-ish | Part 4
Date: January 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this fourth installment of the “Christian-ish” series, Pastor Craig Groeschel tackles a gripping question that challenges many believers: “What do we do when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we expect?” He unpacks the concept of “transactional faith”—a faith that treats God like a vending machine and belief as a contract, expecting a specific return for spiritual investment. Craig contrasts this with relational faith, pressing listeners to seek a deeper relationship with God, loving Him for who He is, not just for what He does.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Childhood Vending Machine Analogy — (00:00)

• Pastor Craig opens with a nostalgic story about his childhood love for vending machines.

  • He describes the excitement of inserting coins, choosing a snack, and watching the spiral mechanism… until the item gets stuck.
  • Quote:

    “That’s the worst thing ever. What would you do? It took your money. You’re ripped off… And the problem is, many of us treat God like a vending machine, don’t we?”
    (03:40)

• Transition: Many Christians treat God as if faith were transactional—with the expectation that putting in “good behavior” should always yield a tangible blessing.

Defining Transactional vs. Relational Faith — (05:30)

• Transactional faith: Believing that if we “do our part,” God is obligated to do His.

  • Calling this “cause-and-effect faith,” Craig warns this subtle mentality is widespread and destructive.
  • Quote:

    “True faith is about knowing and loving God for who he is, not just for what he does.”
    (07:10)

• Relational faith: Rooted in knowing, loving, and trusting God for His character, not for His provision.

• Craig prays for the congregation to experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with God—loving Him for who He is, “not just what He does.” (09:10)

Biblical Examples of Transactional Thinking — (10:20)

• Pastor Craig cites five biblical figures/groups who slipped into transactional mindset:
  • Israelites (Exodus 16:3): “God, we trusted You. Why are we struggling?”
  • Jonah (Jonah 4): “Why bless them instead of blessing me?”
  • Martha (John 11): “If You’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
  • Older Brother (Luke 15, Prodigal Son): “I did everything right, where’s my party?”
  • Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19): “I kept all the rules. Why isn’t it enough?”
• Summary: Across scripture, even the faithful wish God would operate on a deal or contract.

Self-Reflection: Subtle Forms of Transactional Faith — (16:50)

• Pastor Craig admits believers often expect “preferential treatment” for their faithfulness.
  • Serving in harder roles (like “the two-year-old room at church”), tithing, fasting, maintaining sexual purity… often come with an unspoken expectation of divine reward.
  • Quote:

    “It actually feels like faith. But it’s really a dangerous lie because we start to believe that if we serve God faithfully, then he owes us.”
    (18:20)

Core Principle: True Faith is Relational, Not Transactional — (20:00)

• Congregational Call and Response:
  • “True faith is relational, not transactional. It’s about knowing and loving God for who he is, not just what he does.”
    (20:53)
• Prayer focus:
  • “God, help me to know you and love you for who you are, not just for what you do.” (21:17)

Addressing Apparent Contradictions: Covenant vs. Contract — (22:00)

• Contract: Temporary, transactional, enforceable by law, based on mutual distrust.

• Covenant: Initiated by God, eternal, relational, sustained by love.

  • Craig’s Rental Analogy:
    • Contracts with tenants are transactional, but helping a friend in crisis by offering a house free is relational—mirroring God’s approach.

• Scriptural Anchor:

  • “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (Referencing 2 Timothy 2:13; 26:45)

Seeking God’s Heart, Not Just His Hand — (30:00)

• Using Psalm 63, Craig points to King David’s relationship-focused prayer:

  • “You, God, are my God; earnestly I seek you. I thirst for you…because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you… I cling to you, your right hand upholds me.” (31:00)

• Highlights the depth and intimacy of David’s relationship, calling it “way beyond friendship.”

  • Quote (humor):

    “I’ve got friends. Jerome is my friend. I promise you, I’ve never talked to Jerome like that. I never will. I never said, ‘Earnestly I seek you, Jerome…I was thinking about your wings.’” (32:50)

Diagnosing Transactional Faith: Three Self-Exam Questions — (34:16)

1. Do I follow God because of what He does for me, or because of who He is?
2. Do I still trust God when He doesn’t answer my prayer the way I want, or do I feel betrayed?
3. Do I serve God because I love Him, or because I’m hoping for something in return?

• Craig encourages honest reflection, suggesting discussion in life groups.
  • “Do I serve God because I love Him, or because I’m hoping for something in return?” (35:30)

Vulnerability: Even Pastors Struggle With This — (36:35)

• Craig’s candid admission that he personally wrestles with transactional expectations:

  • Wants comfort, blessings for his children, healing for loved ones.
  • Shares a painful personal story from 2020: faithfully praying for Pastor Nick Harris’s healing from COVID, but the healing didn’t come.
  • Quote:

    "Sometimes I feel like you let me down… After all he did for you, God. And I prayed pretty hard." (39:03)

• Honest moment:

  • “If you’re doing God’s will just to get God’s stuff, you’re missing God’s heart.” (40:10)

Returning to First Priorities — Matthew 6:33 — (41:10)

• Jesus said:
  • “But seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and then everything else will be given to you as well.”
  • Don’t seek the blessing—seek the Blesser.
  • Quote:

    “You seek first God. You don’t seek what He can do for you. You seek Him.” (42:04)

The Call: From Transactional to Relational Faith — (44:00)

• Repentance prayer for hearts with “strings attached.”

  • “God, I am so sorry for all the times when I’ve got strings attached to my relationship with you.” (44:40)

• Reaffirmation prayer:

  • “God, help me to know you and love you for who you are, not just for what you do.” (46:00)

• Weekly challenge:

  • Pray the above prayer every day to move from transaction to relationship.

Salvation Invitation: God’s Love is Covenantal, Not Transactional — (47:00)

• Craig invites those not certain of their salvation to enter a relationship with God—not a contract.
  • “He created a covenant… Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins. It’s relational. That’s how much He loves you.”
• Corporate prayer:
  • “Heavenly Father, I give my life to you…I give it to you. Help me to know you and love you for who you are, not just what you do.” (48:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “True faith is relational, not transactional. It’s about knowing and loving God for who he is, not just for what he does.” (20:53)
• “Our God is not a tool we use. He’s a King that we worship.” (41:54)
• “If you’re doing God’s will just to get his blessings, just to get his stuff, you’re missing his heart.” (40:10)
• “If we are faithless, God remains faithful because He can’t disown Himself. That’s how good our God is.” (26:45)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 — Vending machine analogy and introducing transactional faith
• 05:30 — Defining transactional and relational faith
• 10:20 — Biblical examples: Israelites, Jonah, Martha, Prodigal's older brother, Rich Young Ruler
• 16:50 — Self-reflection on expecting preferential treatment from God
• 20:53 — Main principle: True faith is relational, not transactional
• 22:00 — Explaining contract vs. covenant using rental home stories
• 30:00 — Psalm 63 and seeking God’s heart
• 34:16 — Three questions to self-diagnose transactional faith
• 36:35 — Craig’s personal vulnerability and struggle
• 41:10 — Seek first God’s kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
• 44:00 — Repentance for transactional attitudes
• 47:00 — Salvation invitation and relational faith with God

Conclusion

This message is a challenge to confront the “vending machine” version of Christianity and return to what genuine faith is—a deep, ongoing, loving relationship with God. Pastor Craig urges listeners to examine their motives, seek God’s heart, and love Him for who He is, not as a means to an end. Faith is never about completing a transaction for a blessing—it’s about knowing, loving, and trusting the God who always keeps His covenant, even when things don’t go as we hope.