Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain: Uncover the Hidden Potential in Life's Most Common Struggles

If you are the type of person who writes notes in margins and uses a highlighter, this is the book for you. I promise you will have something on every page. It has taken me a long time to review this book because it is just packed with excellent information that comes to you straight from scripture. I love scripture and I really love it when someone gives me their example of how to apply it to life-now in this place and time. If you are not a Christian and you have wondered what exactly Christians believe, this book will tell it to you in the very beginning. If you are a Christian and you want to impact someone's life who is struggling, recommend this book to them. Whatever your pain, whatever your struggle-this book will address it. AND, it will guide you in the right steps to move past it and find the purpose and calling God has for you. It encourages you to explore the things God means for you to accomplish for the Kingdom-once you can move beyond the pain that cripples you. My favorite part of the book, because I am a grown up middle schooler, is where he compares our lives to a toilet. Sin is the nastiness in the toilet. Why do we let it collect and stink and be disgusting when God will flush it away if we allow Him? Okay-that is not a direct quote, but you get the idea. AND, it is a really good analogy. This one joins "How to Love Someone You Can't Stand" in my constant re-reading status. One of those books you need to read, wait a while and then come back and read it again.

This book arrived to me at a perfect time in my life. I really enjoyed reading it and honestly took a lot from this book. I have struggled with doubt for God, doubt about my life and this book opened up my thinking about God's plan and how we can grow from life's many struggles. I highly recommend this book! You can read my other review here: [...]

Finding Purpose Beyond our pain is a very balanced and helpful look at why God allows pain in the world. When we are in the midst of a difficult life situation, we are often tempted to ask the question: Why me, God? This book gives an answer. Pain is an opportunity to grow and to find a better relationship with Jesus. I found the book quite balanced. It provides a framework to look at your life situation and try to see the lessons behind your present troubles. The authors have chosen to deal with several of the most difficult life situations: injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure and death. In each case, they discuss their experiences with real people experiencing these problems and finding in them an opportunity for growth. I don't believe this book is the perfect antidote to suffering, but I do think that it has a positive message that can help the sufferer bear his trials and learn from them. I found it a very hopeful book. I'm sure that people can argue with the theology, but the underlying message is clear: Don't wallow in your pain; use it as an impetus to improve your outlook on life.

How many times have we asked questions like, "Why did God allow that innocent child to be abused?" "How can I deal with this failure?" or "How can I live without my spouse?" Meier deals with these questions and more in his latest book, Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain. As Meier says, everyone deals with struggles of some kind, whether it's injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure or death. Meier uses this book to explain not only how to get through these struggles, but how to grow through them. As someone who has experienced pain and who came out of a church where "struggles happen only to those whose faith is weak or who are out of God's will," I was interested in reading how Meier would explain these struggles and what his suggestions would be to overcome them. I was not disappointed. Using interesting stories, he quickly identified with pain and demonstrated how it feels to experience pain. He then explained how pain could affect us emotionally, physically and mentally; and what happens if we are unable to move through it. Finally, he provides sound advice and solid Biblical teaching to help us not only overcome the pain, but also to use our pain for the good of others. In short, Meier's book gave me hope; and as Romans 5:5 says, hope does not disappoint. I recommend this book for anyone going through the struggles of life.

This book helps people understand and act on the potential for growth through seven common sources of pain in life. Biblically based but with practical approaches to dealing with injustice, rejection, loneliness, loss, discipline, failure, and death, the authors challenge us to discover the lessons a loving God is teaching. Readers can grow in appreciation of how God works in their lives, drawing closer to Him through the unpleasant and sometimes devastating circumstances we all suffer because of our fallen nature. Smoothly written and logically composed, it offers the flexibility of going directly to sections of interest, losing nothing when bypassing previous sections. Moreover, the "Finding Purpose Beyond..." suggestions and challenges at the end of each section help to focus on moving toward real happiness through the suffering we cannot escape. I found the content of this feature very thought-provoking and helpful. Engaging stories of individuals the authors have treated in their practices illustrate their points and enliven the writing along with appropriate Biblical quotes. I highly recommend this book to people looking for answers to circumstances troubling them, wondering where God is in all of it, and how life can be better. [...]