Getting Through the Tough Stuff

In this practical series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll addresses the reality that life doesn’t come with a “do-over” button. By looking at how Jesus and biblical figures handled crises, Chuck provides a roadmap for finding hope and resilience.

---

Message 1. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Temptation

• Overview: No one is immune to the pull of temptation. By examining Jesus’ encounter with Satan in the wilderness, Chuck demonstrates that temptation is not a sin, but a test of our allegiances.
• Key Fact: Temptation often strikes at our points of greatest physical or emotional weakness (the “chink in the armor”); the primary defense is a pre-determined reliance on Scripture.
• Scripture Reference: Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 4:15

Message 2. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Misunderstanding

• Overview: Jesus was misunderstood by the religious elite, his townsfolk, and even his own family. This message offers comfort for those who feel isolated or wrongly judged.
• Key Fact: Being misunderstood is often the price of following God’s unique call on your life. Acceptance from God is more foundational than approval from people.
• Scripture Reference: Mark 3:21; Mark 3:1–35

Message 3. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Anxiety

• Overview: Anxiety “strangles” our perspective. Using the story of Mary and Martha, Chuck shows how to slow down, simplify, and prioritize our relationship with Christ over “much serving.”
• Key Fact: The “Mathematics of Worry” involves adding expectations, subtracting God’s presence, multiplying problems through imagination, and dividing life into sacred and secular.
• Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:6–7; Luke 10:38–42

Message 4. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Shame

• Overview: Shame is “naked guilt”—a public exposure that whispers “you are worthless.” Chuck looks at the woman caught in adultery to show how Jesus offers grace over condemnation.
• Key Fact: Jesus was the only person qualified to condemn the woman, yet He chose to defend her, becoming our “shame-bearer” on the cross.
• Scripture Reference: John 8:1–11; Hebrews 12:2

Message 5. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Doubt

• Overview: A look at “Doubting Thomas.” Chuck explains that faith does not always come easily and that God is patient with our sincere struggles to believe.
• Key Fact: Doubt is not the opposite of faith, but an invitation to a deeper, more personal encounter with the risen Christ.
• Scripture Reference: John 20:24–29

Message 6. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Divorce

• Overview: Chuck provides a careful biblical analysis of marriage permanence while addressing the painful reality and grace available when a marriage breaks.
• Key Fact: While divorce was never God’s ideal, Jesus addressed the reality of its occurrence with truth and a call to a necessary acceptance.
• Scripture Reference: Matthew 19:3–12; Mark 10:1–12

Message 7. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Remarriage

• Overview: This message focuses on the grace-filled possibility of a fresh start. Chuck explores the biblical parameters and the “new creature” reality for those seeking to move forward.
• Key Fact: It is theologically inconsistent to believe Christ’s death atones for all sins except a failed marriage; God is the God of new beginnings.
• Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 7:12–15

Message 8. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Confrontation

• Overview: Conflict is inevitable in a fallen world. This message explores the “Jesus way” of responding to injustice and the importance of healthy, biblical confrontation.
• Key Fact: A non-retaliatory spirit can lead to personal freedom and a more powerful witness than returning blow for blow.
• Scripture Reference: Matthew 18:15–17; Galatians 2:11–14

Message 9. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Pain

• Overview: Explores Jesus as the “Man of Sorrows.” When we are in the crucible of physical or emotional pain, we find a Savior who is intimately acquainted with grief.
• Key Fact: Pain signals unseen trouble and, spiritually, helps us grow into mature people of faith by teaching us daily dependence on God.
• Scripture Reference: Isaiah 53:3; Hebrews 5:7–8

Message 10. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Prejudice

• Overview: Prejudice is a deep-seated sin problem rooted in the human heart. Chuck identifies the antidote in Christ’s interaction with the Samaritan woman.
• Key Fact: Prejudice is a learned trait that keeps people in spiritual darkness and binds them to the past, preventing them from seeing others as God does.
• Scripture Reference: Mark 7:18–23; Matthew 27:27–44

Message 11. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Hypocrisy

• Overview: Chuck confronts the “disease of the soul” where religious activity becomes a theatrical performance for public applause.
• Key Fact: A hypocrite is literally “one who speaks from behind a mask.” The remedy is an authentic life characterized by private worship rather than public display.
• Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:1–18; Matthew 23:13–33

Message 12. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Inadequacy

• Overview: The Great Commission was given to “frightened and incompetent” men. This message shows how God uses our weaknesses to achieve the impossible.
• Key Fact: Our inadequacy is the “stage” upon which God displays His power through the Holy Spirit.
• Scripture Reference: Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:16–20

Message 13. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Disqualification

• Overview: For those who feel they have “blown it” beyond repair, Chuck shares how God’s grace is larger than our greatest failures.
• Key Fact: Restoration is the heartbeat of the Gospel. Failure does not mean the end of one’s usefulness in the Kingdom of God.
• Scripture Reference: John 21:15–19; Psalm 51

Message 14. Getting Through the Tough Stuff of Death

• Overview: Addressing the final “tough stuff,” Chuck provides hope for those facing the loss of a loved one or their own mortality.
• Key Fact: Because Christ conquered the grave, death for the believer is not an end but a transition to the presence of God.
• Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 15:54–57; John 11:25–26