“When you stare into the abyss, don’t be shocked at what stares back at you.”

That’s how I open this powerful episode, and it couldn’t be more fitting. This week, I sit down with deep thinker, theologian, and recovering alcoholic Griffin Gooch—whose journey into addiction began not with trauma or peer pressure, but with an overwhelming sense of meaninglessness. A nihilist by 13, Griffin plunged into alcohol in a desperate attempt to numb the philosophical weight of a broken world.

But it was in a jail cell—after multiple OWIs—that he finally encountered the God who battles emptiness. In this deep conversation, Griffin opens up about why alcohol stuck when other drugs didn’t, how his analytical mind became both a curse and a calling, and how community, confession, and spiritual rhythms have sustained him in sobriety.

Whether you're an overthinker, an academic, or someone silently struggling, Griffin's story reminds us that even intellectual doubt and existential dread aren’t beyond the reach of Christ's healing.

We explore:

—How Griffin embraced nihilism and atheism by age 13

—Why alcohol became his drug of choice over harder substances

—The jailhouse encounter with Jesus that changed everything

—What it means to numb philosophical and existential anguish

—Why sobriety has been a long and non-linear journey

—The role of community, confession, and spiritual discipline in recovery

—Whether full abstinence is necessary for every Christian struggling with alcohol

—How changing your system—not just your willpower—leads to real transformation

Follow Griffin: https://www.instagram.com/griffingooch97/

Explore Griffin's writing: https://griffingooch.substack.com

Follow Jon: https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/

Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: www.christianalcoholic.com.

Watch this episode and get daily motivation: www.theveritasdaily.com.

&ldquo;When you stare into the abyss, don&rsquo;t be shocked at what stares back at you.&rdquo;
That&rsquo;s how I open this powerful episode, and it couldn&rsquo;t be more fitting. This week, I sit down with deep thinker, theologian, and recovering alcoholic Griffin Gooch&mdash;whose journey into addiction began not with trauma or peer pressure, but with an overwhelming sense of meaninglessness. A nihilist by 13, Griffin plunged into alcohol in a desperate attempt to numb the philosophical weight of a broken world.
But it was in a jail cell&mdash;after multiple OWIs&mdash;that he finally encountered the God who battles emptiness. In this deep conversation, Griffin opens up about why alcohol stuck when other drugs didn&rsquo;t, how his analytical mind became both a curse and a calling, and how community, confession, and spiritual rhythms have sustained him in sobriety.
Whether you're an overthinker, an academic, or someone silently struggling, Griffin's story reminds us that even intellectual doubt and existential dread aren&rsquo;t beyond the reach of Christ's healing.
We explore:
&mdash;How Griffin embraced nihilism and atheism by age 13
&mdash;Why alcohol became his drug of choice over harder substances
&mdash;The jailhouse encounter with Jesus that changed everything
&mdash;What it means to numb philosophical and existential anguish
&mdash;Why sobriety has been a long and non-linear journey
&mdash;The role of community, confession, and spiritual discipline in recovery
&mdash;Whether full abstinence is necessary for every Christian struggling with alcohol
&mdash;How changing your system&mdash;not just your willpower&mdash;leads to real transformation
Follow Griffin: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/griffingooch97/">https://www.instagram.com/griffingooch97/</a>
Explore Griffin's writing: <a href="https://griffingooch.substack.com">https://griffingooch.substack.com</a>
Follow Jon: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/">https://www.instagram.com/jonseidl/</a>
Order the book, Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic: <a href="https://www.christianalcoholic.com">www.christianalcoholic.com</a>.
Watch this episode and get daily motivation: <a href="https://www.theveritasdaily.com">www.theveritasdaily.com</a>.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit christianalcoholic.com for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian alcoholic" (based on the book by the same title) is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts. The show features interviews with fellow addicts and alcoholics as well as professionals in the fields of trauma, faith, and addiction recovery. Because let's be honest, we're all addicted to something. "Confessions" is a place for the desperate, the downtrodden, the destitute, and especially, the drunk. But it's also a place of hope and healing. Jon found sobriety after decades of struggling, but more importantly than finding sobriety, he found Jesus. In every episode, he gets radically vulnerable as he explores what it looks like to be on this journey of messy sanctification. Visit <a href="http://christianalcoholic.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://christianalcoholic.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1747239325727000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1G-752Q-1dyjq6GN5gt7xw">christianalcoholic.com</a> for more resources.

Jon Seidl is the bestselling Christian author who became an alcoholic, not the other way around. It's usually the other way around. Or is it? "Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic" is all about real stories, radical vulnerability, and remarkable comebacks of people who have struggled with alcoholism and addictions of all sorts.