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Available
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Publication
Hodder
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Description
Finding Meaning in the Midst of Suffering In his classic book Where Is God When It Hurts, Philip Yancey gave us permission to doubt, reasons not to abandon faith, and practical ways to reach out to hurting people. And now, thirty years after writing his first book, Yancey revisits our cry of 'Why, God' in three places stunned into silence by the calamities that have devastated them. At some point all of us will face the challenges to faith Yancey writes about and look for the comfort and hope he describes. There are reasons to ask, once again, the question that never goes away: Where is God when we suffer? And Yancey, once again, leads us to find faith when it is most severely put to the test.
User reviews
LibraryThing member cherylcope
Being a sequel to Where Is God When It Hurts?, “The Question” in this book is basically the same one. Or along similar lines, why do bad things happen to good people?, or why does God allow evil to take its awful course?, or how could a good God possibly allow such a calamity? The question
Philip Yancey uses one of his usual literary techniques—stories. He has stories from several modern catastrophes, especially from 2011-2013 from the United States and from around the globe. Most of them are heart-wrenching so be prepared for this. He includes stories from mass shootings, civil wars and natural disasters. Also included are snippets of interviews of victims and quotes from other Christians on the topic.
Some of the conclusions are that suffering can be redeemed and that suffering contributes to spiritual growth in Christians. Other conclusions seemed to be that Jesus reached out with healing and compassion (therefore, so should we) and that one basic overarching truth is that God is with us during any tragedy or suffering.
Two things are for sure when you read this book, one is that you will not come away with feeling sorry for yourself and two, you will be provoked to much thought, that is wondering, wondering, wondering.
I thought a few things needed more attention or were missing altogether. There was very little (as in, a couple of sentences at the most) about Christian persecution and about compassion. There was no mention of crisis intervention intercession. Could some of these tragedies be averted if more Christians prayed? Not addressed.
Even though I would have liked to see more on those topics (from the previous paragraph) there was still plenty to chew on, including ideas on what to say to hurting people. If you or someone you love is struggling with “The Question”, this book will be worthwhile for you to read.
To purchase your own copy of this book go here:The Question That Never Goes Away
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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never seems to be about God causing the bad stuff, just about God permitting or allowing it to happen.Philip Yancey uses one of his usual literary techniques—stories. He has stories from several modern catastrophes, especially from 2011-2013 from the United States and from around the globe. Most of them are heart-wrenching so be prepared for this. He includes stories from mass shootings, civil wars and natural disasters. Also included are snippets of interviews of victims and quotes from other Christians on the topic.
Some of the conclusions are that suffering can be redeemed and that suffering contributes to spiritual growth in Christians. Other conclusions seemed to be that Jesus reached out with healing and compassion (therefore, so should we) and that one basic overarching truth is that God is with us during any tragedy or suffering.
Two things are for sure when you read this book, one is that you will not come away with feeling sorry for yourself and two, you will be provoked to much thought, that is wondering, wondering, wondering.
I thought a few things needed more attention or were missing altogether. There was very little (as in, a couple of sentences at the most) about Christian persecution and about compassion. There was no mention of crisis intervention intercession. Could some of these tragedies be averted if more Christians prayed? Not addressed.
Even though I would have liked to see more on those topics (from the previous paragraph) there was still plenty to chew on, including ideas on what to say to hurting people. If you or someone you love is struggling with “The Question”, this book will be worthwhile for you to read.
To purchase your own copy of this book go here:The Question That Never Goes Away
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from publisher through the Booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member SueinCyprus
Philip Yancey writes of his experiences when asked to talk to people in war zones, and to parents who have lost children in tragic school shooting incidents around the US. He asks some difficult questions, attempting to reach out to people going through appalling circumstances, without sounding
Yancey’s writing is always good; he has a talent for explaining complex concepts to lay people without ever being condescending. He acknowledges that each individual is different, that nobody can go through anybody else’s pain, and that we all deal with tragedies in different ways.
I’m glad I read this; it was a good reminder that life isn’t easy, but that God is still with us, wanting to hold us close, to share in our pain. And yet, it doesn’t really say a lot more than was explored in his classic ‘Where is God when it hurts?’.
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trite.Yancey’s writing is always good; he has a talent for explaining complex concepts to lay people without ever being condescending. He acknowledges that each individual is different, that nobody can go through anybody else’s pain, and that we all deal with tragedies in different ways.
I’m glad I read this; it was a good reminder that life isn’t easy, but that God is still with us, wanting to hold us close, to share in our pain. And yet, it doesn’t really say a lot more than was explored in his classic ‘Where is God when it hurts?’.
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LibraryThing member The_Hibernator
Synopsis: After over a decade of traveling the world giving lectures on Where is God When it Hurts, Philip Yancy has decided to revisit this subject in his most recent book The Question That Never Goes Away. I have not read his earlier book, so I can't compare the messages of each, but I assume the
He starts by describing two different types of disaster: the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan and the horrifying 4-year seige of Sarajevo in 1992. The first example is a natural disaster, but the second is man-made. Such disasters beg the question "Why?" Why would a God who loves us allow such destruction?
Yancy points out that atheists have a field day with such calamity - using it as evidence that God doesn't exist. For, clearly, a loving God wouldn't allow such things to happen; therefore it is erroneous to believe in God. But Yancy counters: if, indeed, this is an impersonal universe of random indifference, why are the atheists so shocked and upset about someone else's tragedy? Clearly, their morals are shaped by the philosophical framework of Christianity.
Yancy continues by explaining that there's nothing wrong with asking the question "Why?" In fact, it is a question asked over and over again in the Bible. God expects such questions, and he understands our grief and frustration at getting no answer. BUT, He still doesn't provide an answer. Not in the Bible. And not in the world.
Yancy suggests that we shift our focus from cause to response. When disaster strikes, we should appreciate the outpouring of humanitarian aide that comes from individuals, communities, and countries. Yes - some of this humanitarian aide can be poorly planned, but notice what lies at the heart: love. We, as human beings, want to reach out and help those who are suffering. So where is God when it hurts? He is in those friends, neighbors, and complete strangers who reach out to help the suffering. God hates our suffering as much as we do - but he loves us so much that he sent his own son to suffer among us. Because we can relate to a suffering God.
Finally, Yancy criticizes the claim that God sends suffering in order to build character. He points out that Jesus healed the afflicted. He never once said to them "But think of how character-building this experience is!" Yancy points out that God has promised to redeem our suffering. This does not mean that God sends suffering, but that when tragedy occurs, He inspires and directs good to result from the evil. Thus, we do gain character from suffering.
My thoughts: This is a very difficult book to read because Yancy dwells on quite a few tragic events in detail. However, the book has a strong message and is written with a very humble and personal air. Yancy impresses me with his intelligent observations and powerful examples. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the question of why God allows suffering. I am eager to read more of Yancy's work.
To read my full review check my blog: Resistance is Futile
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newer book has a similar message to the older, with recent examples and insights that he has gathered since writing the first book. He starts by describing two different types of disaster: the devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan and the horrifying 4-year seige of Sarajevo in 1992. The first example is a natural disaster, but the second is man-made. Such disasters beg the question "Why?" Why would a God who loves us allow such destruction?
Yancy points out that atheists have a field day with such calamity - using it as evidence that God doesn't exist. For, clearly, a loving God wouldn't allow such things to happen; therefore it is erroneous to believe in God. But Yancy counters: if, indeed, this is an impersonal universe of random indifference, why are the atheists so shocked and upset about someone else's tragedy? Clearly, their morals are shaped by the philosophical framework of Christianity.
Yancy continues by explaining that there's nothing wrong with asking the question "Why?" In fact, it is a question asked over and over again in the Bible. God expects such questions, and he understands our grief and frustration at getting no answer. BUT, He still doesn't provide an answer. Not in the Bible. And not in the world.
Yancy suggests that we shift our focus from cause to response. When disaster strikes, we should appreciate the outpouring of humanitarian aide that comes from individuals, communities, and countries. Yes - some of this humanitarian aide can be poorly planned, but notice what lies at the heart: love. We, as human beings, want to reach out and help those who are suffering. So where is God when it hurts? He is in those friends, neighbors, and complete strangers who reach out to help the suffering. God hates our suffering as much as we do - but he loves us so much that he sent his own son to suffer among us. Because we can relate to a suffering God.
Finally, Yancy criticizes the claim that God sends suffering in order to build character. He points out that Jesus healed the afflicted. He never once said to them "But think of how character-building this experience is!" Yancy points out that God has promised to redeem our suffering. This does not mean that God sends suffering, but that when tragedy occurs, He inspires and directs good to result from the evil. Thus, we do gain character from suffering.
My thoughts: This is a very difficult book to read because Yancy dwells on quite a few tragic events in detail. However, the book has a strong message and is written with a very humble and personal air. Yancy impresses me with his intelligent observations and powerful examples. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the question of why God allows suffering. I am eager to read more of Yancy's work.
To read my full review check my blog: Resistance is Futile
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ISBN
9781444788556
Local notes
242 Yan
Acc # 2725
Book
Acc # 2725
Book