Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning?Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning?
The Call with Nancy Sabato
Nancy Sabato talks with Todd Nettleton about persecuted Christians worldwide and how their stories frame suffering as meaningful through faith. The conversation highlights cases in Eritrea, China, India and Iran, stressing prayer as a practical way to stand with those who pay a high price for following Jesus.
13:23•1 Nov 2026
Finding Meaning in Suffering: Todd Nettleton on Persecuted Christians
Episode Overview
- Suffering can gain meaning when it leads to sharing faith and seeing others accept Christ.
- Persecuted Christians consistently ask for prayer as their primary need.
- The International Day of Prayer in November focuses churches on praying together for persecuted believers.
- Anti-conversion laws and social pressure in countries like India and China create major hurdles for churches and pastors.
- Despite war, surveillance and arrests, the Christian church continues to grow in places like Iran through quiet, courageous witness.
“If we were with other prisoners and we could witness to them and we could see people accepting Christ, that gave meaning to our suffering.”
What drives someone to seek a life without comfort and safety for the sake of faith? This conversation with Todd Nettleton from The Voice of the Martyrs tackles that question head-on, as he and host Nancy Sabato talk about suffering, persecution, and why hardship can sometimes carry deep spiritual meaning. Todd shares the striking story of an Eritrean pastor imprisoned in brutal conditions, including underground cells and metal shipping containers.
The pastor’s perspective turns the usual idea of suffering upside down: "If we were with other prisoners and we could witness to them and we could see people accepting Christ, that gave meaning to our suffering." For him, solitary confinement was worse, because "there was nobody in solitary to share Christ with." His ongoing displacement and uncertain future underline that some stories don’t wrap up neatly, yet faith persists.
The episode is aimed at Christians who want to understand and support persecuted believers worldwide. You’ll hear about the International Day of Prayer for persecuted Christians in November and why Todd insists it’s not a marketing project but a spiritual responsibility.
He walks through current situations in China, including high-profile pastors like Ezra Jin, John Cao and Wang Yi; in India, where so-called "freedom of religion" laws make even donuts and coffee suspect; and in Iran, where the church is growing despite war, suspicion and the danger of house-church meetings. Throughout, the tone is sobering yet hopeful, with practical suggestions on making prayer for persecuted Christians a regular part of spiritual life.
Todd closes with a direct challenge: remember those in prison as if you were there with them, and start by praying for one person whose story has stayed with you. How might your own view of suffering shift when you stand alongside those who pay such a high price for their faith?
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