You desire to know the art of living, my friend? It is contained in one phase: make use of suffering.
-Henri Frederic Amie
I have been searching for this kind of book for quite some time. As a flawed human being, I have very limited understandings to comprehend my pain, my agony and my sorrow. I kept asking God, " why me?" " why this happened to me?" when something bad happened to me. I merely blamed God or other people to unfortunate moments in my life. I was so clueless and naive. I have learned that my life is not as smooth as other people's lives but I also have a wonderful life that is far better than some people's. It makes me very grateful. As a Christian, I understand that there is God to rely on and God's plans to me. However, a true comprehension toward what suffering is, the reasons behind it and how to cope with it, is still a vague concept to me. I told myself I needed something that could help me understand. One day, I went to a book store, I was hoping to get a recipe book and I bumped to a book with a very interesting tittle "Walking with God through Pain and Suffering" (2013)by Timothy Keller.Suddenly, I thought " this is it!", this book was something that could help me answer my shallowness ( well, I used to be so anxious about many things). I think God has answered me through this book.
I found this book very practical and helpful. It has been arranged to chapters that help readers to find the answers of their problems. In the prolog, the author helps to specify the readers' urgency. For example, when the readers have a specific urgency to cope with their problems immediately they can just skip the first chapter and go straight to chapter 2/3. I decided to read this book from the first chapter. Basically, this book is a guide-book to help people overcome and comprehend their suffering and pain.How cool is that?
I recommend the book to anyone who is questioning, doubting and searching for answers of their sufferings. This book explains deeply about sufferings, so the readers can comprehend fully and take some reasoning to it. It will shed some light to very difficult yet common questions in human's lives, the questions about sufferings. I presume when people understand the reasons behind their sufferings and the form of sufferings they will be able to move forward to cope and to endure the sufferings. You know, the confusion and not knowing how sufferings operate and take form make us in a dark place. It makes us bitter and sometimes some people even abandon their faith.
The book also gives solutions and practical steps to handle and endure our sufferings. It is like making a cake where you can follow step by step. I know, some people might find it ridiculous when you can formulate ways to deal with your sufferings. However, this kind of book is needed when you feel alone or hopeless. Sometimes, speaking out about our pains and sufferings is not enough. We need something more personal and practical to guide us through our difficult times. This book not only gives systematical ways to handle our sufferings but also it gives real-life testimonies of people who have been through difficult times. I think those examples are beyond my so-called difficult miserable life, I am grateful that God has touched me with their life stories and I am grateful for who I am. All in all, don't lose our hopes when we encounter adversities and difficult times, let be grateful and rethink what God has done for us. His blessings have been given to us since we were born. Remember, there are people who endure more difficult adversities than ours. I remember, a priest once said," As long as we are healthy and alive, we can still make some efforts but when we are terribly sick we are restricted".
My rating is 5/5
-Henri Frederic Amie
I have been searching for this kind of book for quite some time. As a flawed human being, I have very limited understandings to comprehend my pain, my agony and my sorrow. I kept asking God, " why me?" " why this happened to me?" when something bad happened to me. I merely blamed God or other people to unfortunate moments in my life. I was so clueless and naive. I have learned that my life is not as smooth as other people's lives but I also have a wonderful life that is far better than some people's. It makes me very grateful. As a Christian, I understand that there is God to rely on and God's plans to me. However, a true comprehension toward what suffering is, the reasons behind it and how to cope with it, is still a vague concept to me. I told myself I needed something that could help me understand. One day, I went to a book store, I was hoping to get a recipe book and I bumped to a book with a very interesting tittle "Walking with God through Pain and Suffering" (2013)by Timothy Keller.Suddenly, I thought " this is it!", this book was something that could help me answer my shallowness ( well, I used to be so anxious about many things). I think God has answered me through this book.
I found this book very practical and helpful. It has been arranged to chapters that help readers to find the answers of their problems. In the prolog, the author helps to specify the readers' urgency. For example, when the readers have a specific urgency to cope with their problems immediately they can just skip the first chapter and go straight to chapter 2/3. I decided to read this book from the first chapter. Basically, this book is a guide-book to help people overcome and comprehend their suffering and pain.How cool is that?
I recommend the book to anyone who is questioning, doubting and searching for answers of their sufferings. This book explains deeply about sufferings, so the readers can comprehend fully and take some reasoning to it. It will shed some light to very difficult yet common questions in human's lives, the questions about sufferings. I presume when people understand the reasons behind their sufferings and the form of sufferings they will be able to move forward to cope and to endure the sufferings. You know, the confusion and not knowing how sufferings operate and take form make us in a dark place. It makes us bitter and sometimes some people even abandon their faith.
The book also gives solutions and practical steps to handle and endure our sufferings. It is like making a cake where you can follow step by step. I know, some people might find it ridiculous when you can formulate ways to deal with your sufferings. However, this kind of book is needed when you feel alone or hopeless. Sometimes, speaking out about our pains and sufferings is not enough. We need something more personal and practical to guide us through our difficult times. This book not only gives systematical ways to handle our sufferings but also it gives real-life testimonies of people who have been through difficult times. I think those examples are beyond my so-called difficult miserable life, I am grateful that God has touched me with their life stories and I am grateful for who I am. All in all, don't lose our hopes when we encounter adversities and difficult times, let be grateful and rethink what God has done for us. His blessings have been given to us since we were born. Remember, there are people who endure more difficult adversities than ours. I remember, a priest once said," As long as we are healthy and alive, we can still make some efforts but when we are terribly sick we are restricted".
My rating is 5/5
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