Daily Radio Program with Charles Stanley - In Touc... - What Is God Up to in Your Life?

March 28, 2026·20 min·1 clip

David was anointed king but spent 10 years running as an outlaw—what was God really up to in his life?

This episode of the InTouch podcast features Charles Stanley exploring the biblical story of David to address the question of what God is doing in one's life. Stanley, a prominent Christian pastor and teacher, examines a specific period from 1 Samuel chapters 19 through 30. He focuses on the decade after David was anointed king but before he assumed the throne. During this ten-year period, David lived as an outlaw and fugitive from King Saul despite knowing his divine destiny. Stanley recounts David's victory over Goliath and the resulting jealousy from Saul that forced David to flee. He describes David's actions during this time, including pretending to be insane and behaving in ways seemingly contrary to his character. Stanley presents this era as a divinely orchestrated "furnace of affliction" for David's preparation. He argues that God's primary purpose in David's life was for David's ultimate good and for God's own glory. A second purpose Stanley identifies is God "sifting" David to build character for future service and kingship. Stanley claims God uses such periods to teach that His promises are not always fulfilled according to human expectations or timelines. He suggests God employs pressure to teach perseverance, using David's decade-long ordeal as the prime example. Another proposed purpose is for God to reveal human weaknesses, as demonstrated when David acted out of fear or deceit. Stanley highlights a moment when David refused to kill Saul, illustrating the principle that believers should not remove obstacles to God's promises prematurely. He closes by stating God uses difficulties to demonstrate His own faithfulness, referencing Psalm 40. The tone is pastoral, instructional, and deeply rooted in evangelical Christian theology. Stanley's style is expository, using a single biblical narrative to derive broad spiritual lessons for listeners. Listeners interested in biblical character studies or seeking a religious perspective on enduring life's hardships would appreciate this episode. Those not interested in Christian teaching or scriptural analysis might choose to skip it.

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