Finding Joy Through Adversity: A Conversation with Mike Weaver

Show Notes: What does it mean to be truly free when your circumstances haven’t changed? In this episode of The Prodigal Journey, Ben sits down with Mike Weaver, lead singer of Big Daddy Weave, for a conversation that goes far beyond music. Mike shares the story behind one of Big Daddy Weave’s most meaningful songs, “Redeemed,” and how God used a song that came out of Mike’s own struggle with self-worth and self-hatred to bring hope and freedom to people around the world. Ben also shares how “Redeemed” impacted him while he was incarcerated in 2012. Although he was physically behind bars, the message of the song helped him recognize a deeper freedom in Christ. Mike explains why the band ultimately gives all the glory to Jesus for the ways God has used their music in people’s lives. The conversation also explores the story behind “Alive,” which Big Daddy Weave received from Zach Williams after his own journey back toward God. Mike recounts how “Redeemed” unexpectedly became part of Zach’s story and how the two artists eventually shared the stage during the pandemic. One of the most powerful moments comes when Mike tells the story of a concert in Liberty, South Carolina. His brother Jay Weaver had prayed over every seat in the venue, including one specific seat where God had apparently directed his attention. The man who would eventually sit in that seat had walked away from ministry and his relationship with God after experiencing a devastating tragedy. What happened after the concert became a profound picture of faith, suffering, honesty, and God’s presence in the middle of pain. Mike also opens up about losing his brother Jay and his mother, and how those experiences have changed the way he understands suffering. Rather than seeing suffering as the opposite of victory, Mike has learned to see it as an opportunity to worship God in a way we won’t have forever. Ultimately, this conversation is about redemption, freedom, grief, suffering, faith, and the goodness of God—even when life doesn’t turn out the way we hoped. Takeaways: God can use a song, story, or simple message in ways we could never anticipate. “Redeemed” came out of Mike Weaver’s own struggle with self-worth and learning to see himself through God’s eyes. Being physically free does not necessarily mean a person is spiritually or emotionally free. Mike emphasizes that the transformation people experience through Big Daddy Weave’s music ultimately belongs to Jesus, not the band. Zach Williams’ encounter with “Redeemed” became part of his own journey back toward God and eventually led to the song “Alive.” Jay Weaver’s story demonstrates that faithfulness and God’s goodness cannot always be measured by whether healing happens the way we expect. Grief and suffering can coexist with genuine hope and joy. God’s presence does not disappear when circumstances become difficult. Faith is grounded in God’s promises rather than simply in how close God feels in a particular moment. Suffering gives believers a unique opportunity to worship God by trusting Him in the middle of pain. Mike’s experience has taught him that God’s goodness, mercy, kindness, and faithfulness remain true even when life falls apart. Redemption means that God can restore and redeem what has been broken, even when He doesn’t change the circumstances in the way we hoped. —————————— Chapters: 00:00 — Mike Weaver & the Story Behind “Redeemed” 05:20 — Finding Freedom in “Redeemed” 16:25 — Zach Williams, “Redeemed” & the Story Behind “Alive” 21:22 — The Liberty, SC Concert & a Divine Appointment 25:57 — Jay Weaver, Marion & Faith in the Middle of Suffering 33:04 — Losing Jay & Finding Hope in Grief 36:05 — What Suffering Taught Mike About God 42:13 — Worshiping God in the Middle of Pain 43:20 — “God Is in This Story” —————————— Thank you for supporting conversations about Faith. Struggle. Becoming. If this conversation encouraged you, you can support the podcast here: theprodigaljourney.com/donate Affiliate Links: I host my podcast with Captivate, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host™ - you can too, and get your first 7-days on me! Use my affiliate link below to get your free trial and it helps the podcast. https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=nte5ndk —————————— Transition music used with permission: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musicto....​ Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/li....​ Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg Intro/Outro Music used with permission: BlueTree Audio: https://youtube.com/@BlueTreeAudio