Where is God When It Hurts

My oldest son moved to Heaven in August of 2006... I go to a church where they think that God's will is ALWAYS to heal... then why didn't He heal my son...? I Trust God... and His will... but I have a hard time with people who have never had any pain in their lives, and yet go around saying that only good things happen to good people, that God's will is never for any pain... Those people need to realize that they are hurting already wounded people when they say things like this... I wish more people would read Philip Yancey's book and realize the Truth about pain and hurts... God is Love... and sometimes love is different than we think...

This book is not only about how God views our suffering, and how much we struggle with God in the midst of our suffering (although it does thoroughly discuss those things). The most interesting aspects of this book, in my opinion, were the stories and comments that Yancey makes on how Christians, though mostly good-intentioned, often respond to other people's pain in very unhelpful ways. There is an example of a woman who was very ill and then examples of a few different people who came to visit her and how their different approaches affected her. It shows you how to best try and comfort someone in great pain (although of course there isn't one universally right way to do it). One of Yancey's most interesting observations in this book is that the only cards made for sick people are "get well" cards--and how that shows what society's view is on sickness and how often times people are only considered valuable if they are well. Otherwise, they are considered invalids (as he points out, that word suggests that the person is considered "not valid"). This book should be read by everyone experiencing chronic pain, anyone who experiences any kind of pain, and anyone who ever expects to know anyone who experiences pain. Therefore, everyone should read this book, because pain continues to be a significant part of life.

A book that encompasses pain, but is worth reading. Is deep and earthy.

I agree with the other reviewer that said this is the best book dealing with pain and suffering. It begins with discussing how vital pain is to our lives, and describes the hell a painless world would be. Then it tackles the practical issues of how we deal with pain, focusing not on the "Why" of pain, but "To what end?" Finally, it offers terrific advice for those who are trying to help those that are suffering. With passionate sentences and very illustrative examples, Philip Yancey presents many of the answers to the questions that we all have, and some we have never even thought of.In conclusion, this book is a must read for everyone, even if you have a fairly pain-free life. Also, it is theologically sound, unlike the highly acclaimed but offensive "When Bad Things Happen To Good People" by Harold Kushner.

This is the best book on pain and suffering out in the market (even better than C.S. Lewis's THE PROBLEM OF PAIN). Yancey's first chapter title describes our predicament well enough: 'A problem that won't go away'. This problem is as old as mankind, and in some ways, no one will ever write a better outline of this difficulty than can be found in the book of Job. Yancey's book, though, takes a fresh look at pain itself, and while it cannot answer all questions (no book can), it does give a thoughtful discussion that helps us to comprehend the crucial role of pain in our lives. This book is not an abstract speculative treatise, but a practical and helpful companion as we ask why there is such a thing as pain, is pain a message from God, how do people respond to suffering, how can we cope with pain, and how does religious faith help (or hinder). I give this book my highest recommendation.