God Rewards Our Perseverance

About

As a pastor and a musician, Joshua Czufin’s voice has always been central to his identity. But after complications from throat surgery left him nearly voiceless, Joshua faced a crisis of purpose and identity. In this episode, Joshua talks with Redeemed director Nate Dewberry about how he navigated that dark season and how those lessons are shaping his ministry at Life.Church in Colorado Springs. Their conversation also touches on discovering your calling, getting involved in small groups and other spiritual communities, and yes, even a little fly-fishing.

Show Notes

Timestamps

Discussion

1. Joshua describes becoming a child of divorce at a very young age and feeling like an outcast to his stepparents. Did you feel welcomed and embraced by your family and/or stepfamily when you were young? Or did you feel like an outcast? If the latter is true, how did you react to that treatment? In what ways did it shape you as an adult?
   
   
2. As you’ve matured, what steps have you taken to discover your calling in life? When you’ve asked God for guidance, have you prayed for specific outcomes—and felt frustrated when they didn’t happen? Or have you been able to stay open, allowing God to lead you in unexpected directions, even when they didn’t match your plans? 
   
   
3. One important part of maturity is de-prioritizing the superficial—looks, wealth, hobbies, style preferences—and recognizing that these things do not accurately represent our true selves. How well are you doing at shifting your focus away from these surface-level markers? Are there still areas you struggle to release, even though you know they don’t reflect your real worth as a person? How often do you remind yourself that God sees beyond that, and values who you are at the core?
   
   
4. When Joshua faced the prospect of losing his voice entirely after his throat surgeries, he says he went to a dark place where he worried he “couldn’t add value to this world anymore.” Have you ever had similar thoughts, convinced that you had nothing to offer the world, or worse, that the world might be better off if you didn’t exist? What adverse life events brought you to that place, and how did you rediscover a sense of self-worth? Or are you still struggling to find it?
   
   
5. Do you have a friend like Joshua’s friend Chavez—someone who stands by you without judgment, even in your lowest, darkest moments? How did your relationship begin and what do you think has made your bond so strong over time? What makes you feel safe opening up to this person and trusting them with the deeper parts of your story? Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
   
   
6. Think back to the most painful personal struggle you’ve ever endured. What was going on in your life at the time, and why did you persevere instead of giving up? Did you have faith that there was something better waiting for you on the other side of your struggles?
   
   
7. When you first got involved with The Redeemed’s small groups, what were you hoping to get from them? Were you eager to dive right in and discuss difficult personal and spiritual issues, or were you hoping to “ease your way in” with lighter topics and casual discussions? If it’s the latter, what helped you become comfortable with deeper topics and vulnerability?