Project 1:8 – Episode 010: "When Life Isn't Fair, Part 1"

Host: Scott
Date: June 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of Project 1:8, Scott tackles a listener's heartfelt question: How do I find healing from being wronged? and What does God want me to do when other people hurt me? This installment is the first of a two-part deep dive into dealing with unfairness and pain through a biblical lens. Scott brings together scriptural encouragement, real-life examples, and wisdom from notable Christian thinkers to guide listeners who are grappling with personal hurt or injustice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Creating a Safe Space for Hard Questions

• Scott emphasizes Project 1:8 as a judgment-free, interactive community for discussing difficult faith questions, personal struggles at school, work, or in families, and finding biblical encouragement.
  • Quote:

    "We'd love to have you connect with us knowing that we aren't here to judge or shame you." (00:29)

2. The Broad Spectrum of Being Wronged

• Not all unfairness is the same; it can range from small irritations (like losing Wi-Fi or a parking spot) to life-altering trauma (job loss, abuse, bereavement).
  • Quote:

    "There are times in our lives when we call unfair. And those events can range anything between the smallest of things to the greatest of traumas." (03:52)

3. Personal and Institutional Betrayal

• Scott acknowledges tragic scenarios where those or institutions claiming to represent God inflict harm, sometimes even covering it up, referencing The Great Dechurching by Jim Davis and Michael Graham as an example.
  • Quote:

    "Horrible pain is undeniable in this world....oftentimes that pain can come at the hands of people and institutions who claim to be followers of God." (05:08)

4. Faith, Suffering, and God’s Character

• Pain and betrayal often distort our view of God, making Him seem distant or even complicit in evil.
• It's vital to recapture the biblical portrait of God as loving and redemptive, not as "a tyrannical deity."
  • Quote:

    "Instead of recognizing Him as a merciful, gracious God...mankind defines Him in the opposite ways that are described in the scriptures." (06:32)

5. Moving Toward Healing: Embracing Vulnerability & God’s Redemption

• Drawing on Brad Edwards' The Reason for Church, Scott underscores that God's goal isn't just survival or self-repair, but a deeper, transformative healing through relationship with Him, even for those whose suffering is profound and cannot be superficially fixed.

  • Quote (Brad Edwards via Scott):

    "Our Father wants to make his children new....No path can lead to resurrection in this life or the next if it accredits more power to a broken world than to the God who has vowed to redeem it." (09:08)

• C.S. Lewis’ analogy from Mere Christianity reframes suffering as God rebuilding our lives into something far more glorious than we could imagine.

  • Quote (Lewis, read by Scott):

    "You thought you're going to be made into a decent little cottage, but He's building a palace and He intends to come and live in it Himself." (11:14)

6. Scriptural Backbone: Suffering, Endurance, and Community

• Scott highlights passages from both the Old and New Testaments to show that unfairness and suffering are acknowledged in the Bible, but so is God's sustaining presence and the importance of community.
• Key verses include:

  • 1 Peter 3:14, 4:12-13, 5:10: Encouragement to endure unjust suffering.

  • 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 4:8-10, 4:17: God comforts us in our affliction so we can comfort others.

  • James 1:2, 1:12: Trials produce maturity and endurance.

  • Romans 8:18, 8:35-39: Nothing can separate us from God’s love, not even suffering.

  • Psalms 34:19: God delivers the righteous from many troubles.

  • Quote:

    "God...is consistent in his desire to change our hearts through the injustice." (19:56)

7. The Greater Good: Suffering for a Purpose

• God repurposes suffering for collective good—not just individual recovery.
• The story of the 1956 missionary deaths among the Waorani in Ecuador is cited as an example where personal tragedy became Kingdom-wide blessing, inspiring evangelism and resulting in forgiveness and dramatic transformation.
  • Quote:

    "God actually used that awful day...to be good for his kingdom plan." (25:54)

8. The Power of Forgiveness and Community

• True healing and safety arise not through isolation but through vulnerable engagement in loving community—a "church" that supports and disciples.
  • Scott warns against walling off your heart after trauma.
    • Quote:

      "When we wall up our hearts, when trauma comes, we take the healing power of forgiveness off the table. We perceive that true safeness comes from isolation, when in fact safety is found in a loving community that the church should be." (28:22)

9. Ultimate Example: Jesus on the Cross

• Jesus practiced forgiveness even in the midst of unimaginable injustice.
  • Quote (referencing Luke 23:34):

    "Jesus said, Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they're doing." (31:26)

10. Final Thoughts and Encouragement

• Suffering is real and painful. No one is alone in this, and the scriptures are replete with examples of unjust suffering.
• God doesn’t promise a pain-free life; instead, He promises to transform and bring peace, healing, and renewal through faithfulness and community.
  • Quote:

    "The byproduct of our faithfulness is peace, healing, and a renewed heart. That renewal happens in a community of people who love him and they love you as well." (33:44)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Facing Honest Questions:

  "We want to hear from you personally. We want to understand some of the things that you're thinking about, the things that are maybe even troubling to you...We would love to have you ask those type of questions and any other ones that you might have." (00:17)

• On Community Healing:

  "Healing takes place when we come together and we work through it ourselves. We lock arms through it." (17:20)

• On Christ’s Example:

  "He shows us how that's possible...he endured excruciating pain...That's how much he loves us. That's the biblical narrative." (12:54)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:12 – Introduction to podcast’s mission and interactive format
• 03:25 – Listener’s question: “How do I find healing from being wronged?”
• 04:04 – Exploring the range of unfairness, from trivial to traumatic
• 05:08 – Addressing betrayal by individuals and institutions
• 09:08 – Brad Edwards’ insight on God’s plan and pain
• 11:03-11:14 – C.S. Lewis’ “house” parable on God’s transformation
• 13:39-20:28 – Scriptural survey: comfort, suffering, endurance, and love
• 25:54 – The story of the 1956 Ecuador missionaries
• 28:22 – The risk of closure vs. the healing power of community
• 31:26 – Jesus’ forgiveness from the cross
• 33:44 – Closing words: renewal happens in loving community

Tone and Language

Scott’s approach is empathetic, gentle, and deeply encouraging. His use of accessible, story-rich language and candid engagement with listener questions creates a caring environment. There’s a resolute honesty about pain paired with an unwavering hope in God’s grace and the power of spiritual community.

Conclusion

This episode lays the foundational biblical and theological groundwork for understanding how to pursue healing after being wronged. Scott makes it clear: pain is real and often unavoidable, but God’s love and the support of genuine Christian community offer a path to deeper healing, renewal, and even joy. Look forward to Episode 011 for Part 2, where real-life testimonies and further practical guidance on forgiveness and resilience will be unpacked.

For questions or to connect anonymously with Scott and the Project 1:8 team, follow the link in the episode description.