Social Dallas Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode: "I’m Not There Yet" | Robert Madu | Social Dallas
Date: January 18, 2026
Host: Social Dallas Church (Robert & Taylor Madu)

Overview of the Episode’s Theme

This episode, led by Pastor Robert Madu, centers on the powerful theme of growing in trust through suffering and uncertainty, inspired by Job 13:15: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him.” Pastor Madu challenges listeners to move beyond “formula faith” (the expectation that right actions always produce desirable outcomes) and to anchor their trust in God's unchanging character, even when life does not make sense. The message is both brutally honest and deeply encouraging for anyone facing disappointment, grief, or confusion in their walk with God.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trust and the Character of God

• Trust flows from character: “Trust is always connected to the consistency of a person’s character. You don’t just trust people because you like them…You should trust people to the degree that you actually know them.” (Pastor, 08:06)
• Knowing God personally is the only way to develop unwavering trust. “The more you know him, the more you should be able to trust Him.” (Robert, 09:09)
• Illustration: Would you pass a basketball to your pastor or Steph Curry with 5 seconds left? Most pick Curry because “you’ve seen his consistency.” Even if Curry misses, you trust him because of his record. But with God, He never misses a shot, even when it feels otherwise. (10:44 – 12:00)

2. When God “Misses” the Shot — Wrestling with Suffering

• Experiencing unanswered prayers or suffering can feel like God missed His chance. Pastor empathizes with those enduring disappointment, grief, or chronic uncertainty, paralleling it with the story of Job.
• Job is the Bible’s book of questions, not answers. There are over 330 questions in Job, illustrating that faithful people do wrestle with God honestly. (15:04)

3. Job: Walking with Integrity and Blessing — and Then Loss

• Job’s resume: Blameless, upright, “loves God and shuns evil”—but also wealthy and successful (7,000 camels, 3,000 sheep). His integrity is highlighted before his wealth to show “Job has some stuff, but stuff doesn’t have Job.” (18:45)
• God’s sovereignty: God brings Job’s name up to Satan, not the other way around, leading to Job’s testing. (22:52)

4. The Hedge of Protection

• The enemy is aware of a spiritual “hedge of protection” around Job and dislikes it:

  “Satan, how you know there’s a hedge of protection… That should tell you, I tried to get in your house, but I didn’t know that you had a hedge of protection around you.” (25:47)

• The "hedge" keeps not only predators out, but also keeps us (the sheep) from wandering into danger. “I need a hedge. I need a good hedge with sharp bushes...” (28:54)

5. The Enemy’s Accusation: Formula Faith

• Satan’s accusation: Job doesn’t really love God—he loves what God does for him.

  “Job is doing it for the right consequence. He wants the blessing, he wants the raise…” (34:11)

• Formula faith defined: “A + B = C.” (Action + Behavior = Desired Consequence). Pastor exposes that many Christians fall into this mindset.
• Satan’s challenge: “Break the formula, God… and watch how quickly he curses you.” (35:22)
• Even Job’s friends believe the formula: if something went wrong, Job must have sinned.

6. God Breaks the Formula (But Not Job)

• The Book of Job demonstrates you can be righteous and still suffer. Pain is not always the result of wrongdoing.

  “I’m going to break the formula to show you that you can be doing right and loving me and still be going through suffering. And that does not mean I’m not with you.” (36:59)

7. Learning to Worship and Grieve Honestly

• Job’s initial response is not cliché faith.

  “Job didn’t get there until chapter 13… Job’s initial reaction was not, ‘though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.’ Away with this Christianity that doesn’t allow me to go through grief.” (40:28)

• Job tears his robe (grief), shaves his head (vulnerability), then worships.

  “I can be real with how I feel… I can still be going through hell and saying hallelujah.” (41:27 – 42:17)

• True worship can coexist with grief and loss.

8. From Formula to Gospel

• Ultimate trust isn’t in outcomes, but the cross:

  “You don’t start with your actions and your behavior and then look at the outcome to determine whether God loves me… I start with the consequence of the cross.” (46:04)

• The cross, not current circumstances, is the greatest proof of God’s love.
• “If you trusted and the outcome you wanted didn’t come to pass and you walked away, your trust wasn’t in God. It was in the outcome.” (47:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Knowing God’s Character

“Trust is always connected to the consistency of a person’s character… You should trust people to the degree that you actually know them.”
— Pastor, 08:06

On Honest Worship

“I can still be going through hell and saying hallelujah. I can still have a heart that's broken and still be giving Him glory. I ain’t gotta hide my emotions. I ain’t gotta pretend like it's cool that I'm going through this.”
— Robert, 41:27

On Formula Faith

“Are you walking by faith or are you walking by formula? Because sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re trusting God because you love Him or you’re trusting God for the outcome you want.”
— Pastor, 32:59

On Pain and God’s Sovereignty

“God goes, okay, Satan, this is how much you can touch… It was not God’s idea to inflict the pain. It was Satan’s idea… I need to know that I can trust the character of God.”
— Pastor, 38:10

On the Ultimate Anchor

“You should never ask God, do you love me by what's on my bank account... You should always look at the cross.”
— Robert, 46:10

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:01-04:43 — Opening: ‘Confident Trust’ theme, declaration of Hebrews 10:35-37, and Job 13:15 as core texts.
• 07:22-09:01 — Story: Pastor Madu recounts rejecting a false prophetic word, discussing knowing God’s character.
• 10:44-12:00 — Basketball metaphor: Trusting someone because of proven consistency (God vs. Steph Curry).
• 15:04-16:21 — Job’s book as one of questions (over 330), not answers.
• 18:45-20:27 — Job’s integrity and wealth: "He’s got some stuff, but his stuff doesn’t have him."
• 22:52-23:49 — God brings up Job’s name to Satan.
• 25:47-28:54 — The “hedge” of God’s protection, keeping evil out and us in.
• 32:59-34:11 — Defining and challenging “formula faith.”
• 36:59-37:42 — God breaks the formula, not Job; suffering isn’t always a result of sin.
• 41:08-42:25 — Worship and grief: Job responds with both.
• 44:47-45:09 — “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him”—trust amidst confusion.
• 46:04-47:14 — The cross, not outcomes, is the true anchor.
• 47:14-End — Prayer and challenge: Move from formula faith to anchored trust, even if “not there yet.”

Closing & Next Steps

Pastor Madu closes with a call:

• It’s okay not to be “there yet.” Be honest about your pain and doubts.
• God is forming trust in you through hardship. Begin by simply worshiping with what you have.
• Your trust is safe when anchored in God’s character and the cross, not circumstances.

Key Challenge:

“Maybe you’re not at chapter 13 where you say, ‘though He slay me, yet will I trust Him,’ but can you at least start at chapter one and say, even while I’m grieving, I’m still gonna worship?” (47:14)

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This message is a must-listen for anyone wrestling with disappointment, grief, or spiritual doubt. Pastor Robert Madu masterfully tears down the myth that right living always leads to easy living and calls the church to an anchoring trust rooted in knowing God—not just His blessings. The episode is vulnerable, at times humorous, and full of deep biblical wisdom, making it a poignant resource for anyone “not there yet.”