The Scott Sauls Podcast

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  Why Is There Anything At All? 23.07.2026 8dk

  Why does anything exist at all? And why do we exist? It is the kind of question we can avoid for a long time, until awe, grief, success, failure, or exhaustion brings it back to the surface. Some answer by saying life is an accident and meaning is something we must create for ourselves. Others live as if meaning must be earned through achievement, usefulness, admiration, or success. But Christianity offers a deeper and more durable answer. The world exists because God created it. Not because He was lonely or needy, but because God is love. And if that is true, then your life is not an accident, your worth is not up for review, and you do not have to justify your existence. In this episode, Scott Sauls reflects on creation, ambition, anxiety, Genesis, Apollo 8, and the God who made you, came for you, and holds you together. Links:The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ffs0dWk8OZ&rank=1Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  The Tragic Cost of Friendless Popularity 16.07.2026 9dk

  Why do so many successful, admired, high-capacity people feel so deeply alone? In this episode, Scott Sauls explores the hidden loneliness that often lives behind public visibility, leadership, popularity, and constant responsibility. From Michael Jackson’s longing to be treated like an ordinary neighbor, to Lady Gaga’s description of the silence that follows the crowd, to the quiet burdens carried by pastors, executives, parents, artists, and caregivers, this episode considers why being surrounded by people is not the same as being truly known. Scott also turns to Genesis, where the first thing God calls “not good” is a human being alone, and to Jesus, who entered the deepest loneliness of Gethsemane and the cross. Loneliness is not proof that something is wrong with you. It is a sign that you were made for connection, communion, and love. For anyone who has felt unseen while being useful, admired while being unknown, or strong while quietly exhausted, this episode offers a deeply Christian word of hope: you are not alone, and you never have been. LINKS: The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ffs0dWk8OZ&rank=1 Website: http://scottsauls.com Essays: http://scottsauls.substack.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  The Hidden Joys of Ordinary Faithfulness 09.07.2026 8dk

  The small acts of faithfulness in your life may feel ordinary, hidden, and easily forgotten. But because Jesus walked out of the grave first, none of it is wasted. The meal cooked for a struggling neighbor, the correction spoken to a child, the good work done when no one was watching, and the forgiveness extended in secret are all being folded into a future that has already begun in the resurrection of Jesus. In this episode, Scott Sauls reflects on John 11, the hope of resurrection, and the promise that grief, pain, and death do not get the final word. Jesus does. LINKS: The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ffs0dWk8OZ&rank=1 Website: http://scottsauls.com Essays: http://scottsauls.substack.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  3 Lies That Steal Your Joy 30.06.2026 8dk

  Leo Tolstoy had nearly everything people associate with a successful life: literary genius, wealth, family, fame, influence, and security. Yet by his own account, he found himself deeply restless and despairing. In this episode, Scott Sauls reflects on Tolstoy’s crisis and the three false gospels that still steal joy today: comfort, control, and approval. Each one begins as a good desire. Each one becomes destructive when we ask it to do what only Christ can do. Comfort promises peace but often delivers numbness. Control promises safety but often delivers exhaustion. Approval promises worth but often delivers the slow disappearance of the self. The first commandment is not merely a rule. It is a diagnosis. We were made for God, and when we build our lives on anything less than him, even the best things eventually break under the weight. Links:The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ffs0dWk8OZ&rank=1Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  When Achievement Becomes A Trap 25.06.2026 10dk

  You can believe in grace and still live as though God is disappointed in you. In this episode, Scott Sauls reflects on the hidden equation many Christians carry: God’s love equals Jesus plus our current spiritual and moral performance. Through the story of Peter in Luke 5, the ache beneath achievement, and the difference between forgiveness and mercy, Scott considers why grace can feel unsafe to receive and why Jesus moves toward us when shame tells us to pull away. For anyone who has confused usefulness with lovability, or who feels tired from trying to become enough, this episode offers a thoughtful and honest reminder: God’s mercy does not wait for us to become presentable. It meets us where we are most afraid to be known. Links:The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-king?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ffs0dWk8OZ&rank=1Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Angry With God? 18.06.2026 10dk

  What should you do when your prayer is not calm, composed, or polite, but angry? In this episode, Scott Sauls looks at Habakkuk, C.S. Lewis, Job, the Psalms, and Martin Luther to explore whether anger toward God is always a sign of weak faith. Scripture is far more honest about complaint, grief, protest, and unanswered questions than many church cultures have allowed. Angry prayer may not be the death of faith. It may be one of the clearest signs that you are still in the conversation with God. If you have ever wondered whether God can handle your honesty, this episode is for you. Key Scriptures: Habakkuk 1:2-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4, Habakkuk 3:17-18 References: C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed; Martin Luther's prayers from 1525 LINKS:The Mercy King: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243610949-the-mercy-kingWebsite: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  When God Goes Quiet 11.06.2026 10dk

  In this episode, Scott Sauls reflects on John 11, the death of Lazarus, and Jesus’ stunning promise to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life.” Drawing from Elie Wiesel’s Night, Tim Keller’s preaching after September 11, and C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce, this episode explores the difference between mere consolation and true Christian resurrection hope. When suffering, grief, unanswered prayer, and God’s silence threaten faith, Jesus does not offer sentimental escape. He enters our sorrow, weeps with us, and promises restoration through his cross and empty tomb. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls  ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.com Essays: http://scottsauls.substack.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  When Your Worst Mistake Becomes Your Identity 04.06.2026 12dk

  In this episode, Scott Sauls explores the difference between guilt and shame through The Scarlet Letter, Genesis 3, Brené Brown, Brennan Manning, and the mercy of Jesus. Shame says, “I am something bad,” and it drives us to cover, hide, and fear being fully known. But from Eden to the cross, Scripture tells a better story: we cover ourselves badly, but God covers us truly. If you have carried a scarlet letter of your own, this episode offers a gospel-centered reminder that in Christ, you are fully known, fully loved, and no longer left hiding. ADDITIONAL LINKS: The Mercy King: https://tinyurl.com/3prx4wp3 Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comVideos: http://youtube.com/scottsaulsSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  My Most Personal Book So Far 02.06.2026 2dk

  In this episode, Scott Sauls shares personally about struggles like perfectionism, drivenness, shame, and the exhausting attempt to find worth through achievement. He also shares the invitation Jesus gives to every overextended, over-functioning heart: to stop striving for an approval that has already been freely given. Drawing from Psalm 23, Luke 15, and themes from his newest book, The Mercy King, this episode is for anyone who has succeeded and still felt empty, failed and wondered if God was disappointed, or carried shame while struggling to receive grace. The good news is not that we finally run hard enough toward God. It is that his goodness and mercy have been pursuing us all along.
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  Words I Wish I Hadn't Said 28.05.2026 10dk

  In this episode, Scott Sauls explores why gossip can feel satisfying in the moment while quietly damaging the soul. Drawing from Scripture and personal experience, he looks at the difference between healthy processing and sinful gossip. When does venting become gossip? Why do we use another person’s failures to manage our own hurt? And how can confession, repentance, and the grace of Jesus lead us toward healing? The path out of gossip is not merely trying harder to control the tongue. It begins with honesty, confession, and receiving the grace of God that refuses to perpetuate sins He has already forgiven. Scriptures referenced: Proverbs 16:28; Psalm 141:3; James 3:6; James 5:16.
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  We All Want Justice (Until We Don't) 19.05.2026 9dk

  We all demand justice until it shows up at our own front door. In this episode, Scott Sauls works through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18, the bishop and the silver candlesticks in Les Misérables, and the cross itself, drawing on Fleming Rutledge, Isaiah 53, and Psalm 130. The real question underneath every cry for fairness: are you willing to receive what justice would require of you, or would you rather be rescued by mercy? VIDEOS: http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO: Website, Essays, Socials: http://scottsauls.com
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  The Sickness That Poses as a Virtue 04.05.2026 14dk

  Workaholism is the most socially acceptable addiction in our culture. Nobody stages an intervention for it. Nobody tells you to get help. Instead, we get rewarded with raises, promotions, and applause. In this episode, Scott Sauls draws from his forthcoming book The Mercy King (Zondervan, June 2026) and a clinical study from the University of Bergen to expose what compulsive working actually is: a slow form of self-enslavement. Scott also describes the three chapters of the workaholism story many of us are living inside, and the invitation Jesus offers to anyone who feels tired from their own striving. VIDEOS: http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO: Website: http://scottsauls.com Essays: http://scottsauls.substack.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Easter Monday: What's Next After Easter? 06.04.2026 6dk

  Easter Monday brings us back to everyday life. The resurrection has happened, but the disciples still have to work, eat, and move forward. This is where most of us live. Not in dramatic moments, but in ordinary days. This episode explores what it means to live in light of the resurrection in real life. Faith is not only about belief, but about how we work, love, and serve in daily rhythms. If Jesus is alive, then nothing we do in love is meaningless. This is where resurrection becomes personal and practical. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Easter Sunday: What Resurrection Means for Your Life 05.04.2026 7dk

  Easter Sunday is the turning point of the Christian story. The resurrection of Jesus is not only about what happens after we die, but about what is already happening now. It signals the beginning of a new kind of life and a restored world. This episode explores the deeper meaning of resurrection and why it changes how we think about fear, suffering, purpose, and hope. If Jesus truly rose from the dead, then nothing is beyond renewal and nothing is without meaning. This is not just future hope. It is present reality. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Silent Saturday: God Goes Quiet - Then What? 04.04.2026 5dk

  Silent Saturday captures the space most of us know well. A space where prayers feel unanswered, clarity is absent, and God seems quiet. The disciples lived this reality without knowing what would come next. This episode explores what it means to remain in that tension. Faith is not always confident or clear. Sometimes it is simply staying present in uncertainty without giving up. If you have ever struggled with waiting, doubt, or the silence of God, this reflection offers a grounded and honest perspective on what it means to trust in the in between. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Good Friday: Why Jesus Didn't Save Himself 03.04.2026 5dk

  Good Friday forces us to reconsider everything we believe about power, suffering, and love. As Jesus hangs on the cross, he refuses to save himself, even though he has the power to do so. This episode explores the meaning behind that choice. The cross reveals not weakness, but the most deliberate and costly expression of love. A God who absorbs violence and responds with forgiveness instead of retaliation. If you have ever struggled to understand suffering or questioned where God is in it, this reflection offers a profound and challenging perspective. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Maundy Thursday: How Jesus Redefined Power 02.04.2026 7dk

  Maundy Thursday captures a moment that reshapes how we understand power, leadership, and love. On the night before his death, Jesus kneels and washes the feet of his disciples, fully aware that they will soon betray, deny, and abandon him. This episode explores the deeper meaning behind that act. It is not performance or symbolism, but a revelation of what true love looks like in action. A love that serves without condition and gives without needing return. If you want to understand the kind of life Jesus invites us into, this is essential. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Spy Wednesday: Judas and Spiritual Drift Warning Signs 01.04.2026 6dk

  Spy Wednesday is a quiet day on the surface, but something decisive is unfolding in secret. Judas, one of Jesus’ closest followers, moves toward betrayal through a series of hidden choices and compromises. This episode explores how spiritual drift happens slowly and often unnoticed. It is not driven by doubt or honest questions, but by unexamined motives and growing self deception. If you want to understand how small decisions shape the direction of your life, this reflection offers a sobering and necessary invitation. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Holy Tuesday: How Jesus Handled Hostile Questions 31.03.2026 8dk

  Holy Tuesday reveals a side of Jesus we often overlook. Under constant pressure, criticism, and traps, he responds with clarity, composure, and truth without becoming defensive or harsh. In a culture that rewards outrage and quick reactions, Jesus embodies a better way: engaging without attacking, standing firm without needing to dominate. This episode explores what that looks like in real life, and why it may be one of the most compelling demonstrations of faith in today's us-against-them world. VIDEOS:http://youtube.com/scottsaulsADDITIONAL INFO:Website: http://scottsauls.comEssays: http://scottsauls.substack.comSocials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls
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  Holy Monday: Jesus Flips Tables in the Temple 30.03.2026 7dk

  Holy Monday is one of the most surprising moments of Holy Week. In the temple courts of Jerusalem, Jesus overturns the tables of the money changers and disrupts a religious system that had turned worship into a marketplace. Why did Jesus react so strongly? And what does this moment reveal about his heart? In this episode, we explore the deeper meaning behind the temple cleansing and why Jesus showed fierce opposition to self-serving systems that exploit the vulnerable. Holy Monday reminds us that faith should open the door to God—not close it. VIDEOS: http://youtube.com/scottsauls ADDITIONAL INFO: Website: http://scottsauls.com Essays: http://scottsauls.substack.com Socials: https://linktr.ee/scottsauls