Greg Laurie: ‘Real Faith Gets Stronger Through Testing, Not Weaker’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Pastor Greg Laurie is sharing how loss can strengthen faith, reminding us that “God is there.”
“The faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted,” he explained on an episode of TBN’s PRAISE. “So, sometimes people will say, ‘Well, I’ve lost my faith through this.’ Well, in a way, I might say, ‘Good. Sounds like maybe you didn’t have the right faith in the right God, because real faith gets stronger through testing, not weaker.’ I think hope grows in the garden of adversity.”
He touched on the death of his son Christopher, who died in a car accident in 2008, calling it a “life-altering event…it’s unimaginable, and it’s devastating, and it’s awful.”
However, that tragedy also drew him closer to God.
“The moment when I felt God’s presence the most was right after I heard the news of my son going to heaven, and I think it’s because I leaned into him so closely,” Laurie shared. “I just rediscovered everything I’ve been preaching is true.”
He continued, “God was with us, God is with us. I’m not over it; I’m getting through it…but the Lord has helped us and is helping us through it.”
Laurie then shared his words of advice for anyone struggling with their faith during a hard time: “God is there, and he can heal the brokenhearted. So call out to him. Don’t run from him. Run to him, and he will enter into your life, and he’ll get you through this crisis, and actually, you can have a faith that is stronger as a result.”
Laurie spoke further about the impact his son’s death has had on him in an X post marking the 15th anniversary of Christopher’s passing.
“15 years. That’s how long it has been since I saw my oldest son Christopher. 15 years since I heard his voice, saw him laugh or held him close,” he wrote. “That’s a long time to be separated from someone you love.”
Laurie continued:
My hope is that for the Christian, death is not the end. I will see my son Christopher again. Maybe you have recently lost a loved one, and you don’t know how you will cope. God will be there for you too. Just call out to Him. Psalm 34:18 says that ‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted: He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.’ I have put this and many other passages to the test and found them all to be true. Thank for this great hope. Besides, we never really lose loved ones who have died in faith. You can’t lose someone if you know where they are.
Laurie recently spoke about the importance of hope and faith in God while bringing awareness to “Hope for Lahaina,” an outreach event that will aid those affected by the devastating wildfires that destroyed large parts of Maui nine months ago.
“The Bible tells us that hope can function like an anchor in a person’s life,” he told Fox News. “Hope in God anchors us in tumultuous times, and God can bring ‘beauty out of ashes’ and we can live and grow again.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Laurie’s efforts to help those affected by the wildfires:
Pastor Greg Laurie and his church located in Maui are sharing the gospel and bringing relief to those who have suffered from the wildfires that broke out on the island earlier this month.
“The church is here for such a time as this. And I think there’s hope for the people here, but the hope is in God and you know, hope actually grows in the garden of adversity and I believe that our church reaching out and other believers living as they should as Christians, we will be able to bring help and hope to the people of Maui,” Laurie said, per CBN.
“We praise God for the initiative that our Maui church ohana has taken, and because of this, Harvest is in a unique position to make a difference during this crisis,” Harvest’s website reads. “We have set up the Harvest Maui Relief Fund to provide support for our church’s local relief efforts, and so many of you have generously responded with your financial support.”
“Over the past couple of weeks, our team on the ground has been able to meet the immediate needs of people on the island of Maui with food, water, clothing, housing, and other tangible displays of love,” Laurie added.
“We have also had pastors working around the clock ministering to people, praying with them, and helping people with everything from finding housing to answering life’s toughest questions,” he continued.
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