Navigating Disappointment, Power Dynamics, Loneliness, and Personal Reflections

Love isn’t meant to be conditional, especially when it comes to our understanding of how God loves us. But this episode’s guest—pastor, author, and podcaster Luke Norsworthy—says we’re far too normalized to the idea that love is contingent upon how we practice our faith, obey, and function in general.

On this episode, Norsworthy and Cuss talk about whether or not the phrase “unconditional love” is redundant. They consider how family language can be misused and what it might look like to become more integrated in our lives. They talk about the parable of the prodigal son, what it is to be acquainted with grief as a believer, and how to process disappointment. Their conversation also covers celebrity pastors, loneliness, and the value of vulnerability.

The Expectation Gap by Steve Cuss is now available—order here!

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

• Luke Norsworthy
• Norsworthy
• How to Love the Life You Already Have: A Guide to Becoming the Person Life is Demanding You Be by Luke Norsworthy
• Craft and Character with Luke Norsworthy
• Herbert McCabe
• The Prayers of the People 
• Pepperdine University
• Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us by Steve Carter
• Curt Thompson

“Being Human with Steve Cuss” is a production of Christianity Today

Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper

Produced and Edited by Matt Stevens

Associate Producers: McKenzie Hill, Raed Gilliam, and Abby Perry

Theme song by Dan Phelps

Original Music by Andy Gullahorn

Mix Engineer: Kevin Morris

Graphic Design: Amy Jones

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