This is not a book that deals with suffering as an abstract principle. In the introduction Justin Taylor writes, “The authors do not write as mere theoreticians, waxing eloquent about abstract themes. No, this is a book of applied theology. Its theology has been forged in the furnace of affliction.” Of the contributors, two are paralyzed, two lost parents when they were only young, two have recently suffered the death of a child and two are even now battling prostate cancer. “The point of mentioning this is not to portray them as victims or to elicit your sympathy, but rather to reiterate that they are fellow soldiers in the battle, fellow pilgrims on the journey.” They are equipped to speak about suffering because they have suffered.If you've read the book, please leave a comment with your thoughts. And feel free to share any other books that you've found helpful.
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God continues the tradition of fine books based on keynote addresses at the Desiring God National Conference. It is a compassionately biblical and pastoral examination of a difficult subject. Suffering is an experience common to all human beings and is an issue we all wrestle with at one time or another. This book provides encouragement that God is sovereign, that His purposes are being worked out in suffering, and that even through the darkest trials there is hope. I am confident that this book will be used by God to encourage many of His people, both those who have already suffered greatly and those who have not, but are seeking to equip themselves for the trials that are sure to come in this fallen world.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Review: Suffering and the Sovereignty of God
If you suffer from migraines Suffering and the Sovereignty of God is a book you should read. Here's a portion of a review by Tim Challies:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi,
A friend referred me to this site knowing my ceaseless fight with migraines and with God's sovreignty over them. After reading the most recent entries, I thought I might share my story, briefly.
I am 22 years old and have suffered from severe, chronic classic migraine headaches since I was 13. Recently, they have become increasingly worse and more frequent. About two years ago, I was hit with an intense migraine during a winter retreat that I was attending with my fellowship group at college. The study was on Ruth and specifically on God's sovreignty over her entire life. The speaker asked us to think about the areas in our lives where we have difficulty accepting God's sovreignty and immediately I thought about my migraines. Within hours, I was bedridden and in serious pain, in a cabin in the middle of the woods with no medication and no one who could possiby understand how I was feeling.
Laying there, I felt totally helpless, weak, and without any control in the situation. I knew that the only person I could call upon to take over and ease my pain was Jesus Christ himself. I called, and he answered! In his mercy he was my only source of comfort and strength in those long hours. I thought about his sovreignty and the way that he used my migraine to put me in a situation where I was solely reliant on him and I was suddenly in awe of his mercy. He drew me to himself, and despite my crying out against him, he comforted me in his love. I realized that God is sovreign. I cannot deny that. And if it is in his will to allow me to suffer from migraines for the rest of my life, then so be it. He is in control which means that the migraines are a gift from him. He is using them to do his work in me. After that, I had almost an entire year's span where I was miraculously migraine free!
Since then, I have still had terrible bouts with migraines, but I do not doubt that they are in God' control. In fact, he has been using them to teach me again and again that he really is in control and that he really is all I need. I have had the wonderful prayer support of family and friends throughout this struggle to intercede on my behalf, but I trust Jesus even more with his great intercessions. And if he continues to allow me to go through the pain and suffering of migraine headaches, then I have learned to willingly and humbly accept them as a work with a greater purpose in my life.
Post a Comment