Reviews - Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering

63 reviews for:

Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering

This is a great book. I listened to the audiobook, bought a hard copy and read that twice. If you are struggling with these kinds of questions, especially if you are having a hard time in your own life, this book gives you a lot to think about. One of the best books out there on this topic and Timothy Keller is willing to directly ask the questions that those that suffer want to ask. The questions that make other people, including most priests and ministers a bit uncomfortable to talk about. And there is no one simple answer to all of these questions. He looks at it from all points of view, so it is not easy to blow through the simple explanation later on when you think about it further. The Western and Christian perspective is made whole.

flori_faith's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

macreader's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective

A book that every Christian should read, about the steady, daily walk with God. We know that suffering and pain will come into our lives. This book has two parts: one about the philosophy of suffering and why the Christian worldview is more comprehensive than others (Hinduism, Buddhism, Stoicism, western secularism) at dealing with the problem of pain. The second part is the practical, “how to deal with suffering on a personal level”. Not every terrible event has the same causes and so should be counseled differently. Regardless, God is good to those who trust in Him.

spoiledmilks's review

5.0

You can read the full review on my blog, Spoiled Milks (9/25/17)

Joni Earecksen Tada, a quadriplegic of 50 years, said in a review on Keller’s book that, “like pickles in a jar, our minds are soaked with all sorts of secular subtleties.” It was Job who said, “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know…. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42.3b, 5-6).

Timothy Keller, former pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (though he was pastoring there when he wrote this book), gives his reader a few steps with which to climb out of that pickle jar. His book contains three units: (1) philosophical, (2) theological, and (3) practical answers to the problem of evil. He helps us to (1) understand the furnace, (2) to face the furnace, and (3) to walk with God in the furnace.

Outline and Content
In Understanding the Furnace, Keller takes the philosophical route to talk about pain. He examines how other cultures have viewed suffering, how Christianity is better, and how our view should challenge the secular view.

Facing the Furnace offers the Christian a chance to grow in their ideas of suffering. We want our independence and the ability to do whatever we want to do, but suffering shatters our false gods. “Suffering is both just and unjust” (130). Keller later adds, “This balance—that God is just and will bring final justice, but life in the meantime is often deeply unfair—keeps us from many deadly errors” (130). It was the wounded Lamb who was worthy to open the scrolls (Rev 5.6-7) of judgment against evil. “And so it is a wounded lamb who now is able not simply to judge wrongdoing but actually to undo the damage that evil has wreaked on creation” (156).

Walking with God in the Furnace brings along practices that we ought to grow into. The Bible talks about how we are to walk with God daily. It is not a run-not even a jog. It is walking, one step at a time, at a slow pace so that you can stay with him for the journey. He walks with you in the furnace.

“You have taken from me friend and neighbor—darkness is my closest friend” (Ps. 88.18).

The Chocolate Milk
Keller uses the image of a fiery furnace because of the well-known image of torment which fire brings. However, “if used properly, it does not destroy,” but instead refines (8). Keller acknowledges that this book does not need to be read in order (9). In fact, for the one who is suffering now, they shouldn’t start with part one. They should probably begin with part three, learning how to walk with God in their torment. They can read sections of part two when they need it.

Keller rightly points out that the reason the secular world emphasizes fixing the here and now is because that is all they have. They have no other happiness to offer. That isn’t to say we shouldn’t love others and do what we can to fix the world, but we know we can’t. All it takes is one hurricane to drown Houston, one ice storm for towns to lose power for weeks, one tornado to level buildings and houses—all that we have worked for. Keller doesn’t mince words. It’s not if we will suffer, it’s when. Christians need to get into the habit of walking with God now, praying, living in community, serving one another, and being ready to love when tragedy—small, great—strikes.

A true highlight of Keller’s book is the inclusion of a true story of suffering at the end of each chapter. Some stories finish with a good ending in sight. Others don’t. But they all present the growing faith of the sufferer and their stronger relationship with Christ.

Keller’s book should be read by all Christians. It is a solid reservoir of biblical truth. As The Princess Bride tells us, “Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” The Bible admits to our pain. It gives us no prosperity gospel, health-and-wealth, pie in the sky doctrines. Some have it easier, some just have it rough. We will walk through a furnace, but God—who hung like meat on a cross before a crowd who couldn’t stop mocking him— he will walk with you.