How God Shapes Us Through Our Deepest Pain (Chuck Swindoll Interview Snippet)

For America's 250th birthday, Greg Laurie recommends a great film about the man behind the spiritual awakening of our nation. Just as surely as George Washington is our founding father, George Whitfield is our spiritual founding father. Two Georges played a role in founding the United States.

So find out more about George Whitfield in this film that's called A Great Awakening, and we'll send it to you for your gift of any size. Available on DVD at harvest.org. People have asked me when have you felt the presence of God more than any other time in your life? And I would say that was the moment that God was with me. You know, his strength is made perfect in weakness.

And I was listening, interestingly, Chuck, you kind of play a role in this in your teaching from a distance. I was listening to your teaching. uh on the radio And you talked, and I don't remember the exact quote. It might be a Tozer quote, but it's something before God can use him any as to hurt him. Does this ring a bell?

Yeah, Tozer. It is doubtful. God can use anyone greatly. Until he has hurt him deeply. That's a hard one.

That's a tough one. Yeah. I've had some people say, I don't believe that. Yeah. That makes God cruel.

Um On the contrary, the when you have been hurt deeply. You change great. you deepen. Yes. You get quiet.

You become More thoughtful, more compassionate. More caring. More understanding. That is the making of a good shepherd. There's a Scottish saying: some things are better felt than telt.

People can tell. when you have a heart. You don't get a heart by taking a course on How to get a heart. You don't read a book on Here's how to develop a heart. you go through The heart breaks of life And out of that emerges.

An incredible that never had been developed before.

so that you have a capacity now. That few have. Because you have lost.

Someone So close to your own heart, Then you'll never forget it. Yeah. It prepares you to touch the lives of those who come with that empty Dreadful. Expression I feel lost. I feel like I can't go on.

I feel like I've Uh I've reached the end. And you can say You're gonna make it. And let me tell you how I know you and you can tell them your story. Yes. I love another Tozer quote, and you'll love this.

May not the inadequacy of much of our spiritual experience. Be traced back to our habit of skipping through the corridor of the kingdom like children in the marketplace. always chattering about everything. but pausing to learn the true value Of nothing. Wow.

I love that quote. You've learned the true value. Of life. And the true meaning of death. And grief.

in sorrow. in bone deep pain. There aren't words you can use to describe what you and Cathy endured. You may try. But only Those who have lost.

One of their own. will say That's exactly the way it was with me. gives you a capacity. Adepth. Hmm.

And That may explain Greg. Why, even though you may not have had all the academic training you may have wished you would have had, or you may not have had all the breaks that you would love to have had, or those first seventeen, eighteen, twenty years of your life, you know, at the at the knee of some godly individ wait, wait, wait. You've had the Lord Jesus Christ. Right there. In the depth of your life, at moments.

That Defied. Explanation. As he reached in, And quietly developed you in ways you would not have been developed. Jove writes, Job twenty three, ten through twelve. Get this.

But he knows the way that I take. when he has tried me. I will come forth as gold. My foot as hell is steps. His way of our captain not declined.

Neither have I turned back from the command of his lips. I've esteemed prized, valued the words of his mouth. more than my necessary food. Yes. That's why in deep grief You lose your appetite.

You're feeding on Divine manner. that comes to minister to you. From the heavenlies. Provided for you by the Lord your God. I so respect you.

for going through it. And uh and being able to talk about it. And letting it Change you.