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In the last few years, 9/11, a tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and many other tragedies have shown us that the vision of God in today’s churches in relation to evil and suffering is often frivolous. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, many Christians are choosing to become more shallow, more entertainment-oriented, and therefore irrelevant in the face of massive suffering.
In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God’s sovereignty as evidenced in his Word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.
“John Piper and friends tackle some of the hardest and most significant issues of Christian concern, producing one of the most honest, faithful, and helpful volumes ever made available to thinking Christians. It is filled with pastoral wisdom, theological conviction, biblical insight, and spiritual counsel. This book answers one of the greatest needs of our times—to affirm the sovereignty of God and to ponder the meaning of human suffering. We need this book.” —R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky
“For all who don’t live a charmed life, for all who have given themselves to the point of exhaustion, for all who have been betrayed by pious backstabbers, for all who wonder if they can even go on, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God will be green pastures and deep, still waters.” —Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr., Senior Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee
“This is not another theological volume that complicates what appears to be an irreconcilable paradox; it is a book that grows out of practical experience and applies Scripture to a realistic world where we all live.” —Jerry Rankin, President, Southern Baptist International Mission Board
“This book will challenge you to believe that God is truly sovereign, not just in the safe haven of theological inquiry, but also in the painful messiness of real life. You will be encouraged to live more consistently by God’s grace and for his glory.” —Mark D. Roberts, Senior Pastor, Irvine Presbyterian Church, Irvine, California
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Books > Subjects > Religion & Spirituality > Authors, A-Z > ( T ) > Tada, Joni Eareckson [50 similar products]
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Suffering and the Sovereignty of God is one of many volumes to result from the annual national conference put on by Desiring God Ministries, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. the book is divided into three sections, these being "the sovereignty of God in suffering," "the purposes of God in suffering," and "the grace of God in suffering." the most helpful thing about this book is that, as Justin Taylor says in the introduction, this is a book on applied theology, rather than a book dealing with abstract ideas. each of the contributors of this book has dealt with their fair of suffering. two contributors are paralyzed and deal with chronic pain, two experienced the death of a parent when they were young, two have had children die in the past few years, and two are currently battling prostate cancer. through all these trials, each tells how they have found comfort and hope in the sovereign God, the "God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3).
the greatest thing the American church can take away from this book is that God is sovereign over all suffering, all evil, all schemes and devices of Satan. this is the subject of Piper's first chapter in the book. Piper issues ten calls to celebrate the fact that God is more powerful than Satan and the evil powers. Piper calls us to celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan's delegated rule, over Satan's angels, and over Satan's hand in persecuting the church. we are to celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan's life-taking power, over Satan's hand in natural disasters, and over his sickness-causing power. we are to celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan's use of plants and animals, over his tempting us to sin, and over his mind-blinding power. finally, we are to celebrate that God is sovereign over Satan's spiritual bondage. even though he may bind us through either misery and suffering or through pleasure and prosperity, we are to rejoice that Satan is not sovereign over his captives. only God is. and God is merciful in setting free those whom are His from this bondage through the gift of repentance and faith. what joy there is in this. what grace, and what mercy.
not only should we rejoice at this, but we should hasten to share this joy and this comfort with others in hopes that they too may be set free from their bondage to sin. that is what the church should take away from this book. not to run from suffering. not to ignore it or suppress it, but to look to God for comfort and freedom in facing our sufferings head on. not only for our sake, but for the sake of others as well, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians,
"for as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort."
may this book serve to comfort those who are suffering, may it serve to deepen their love and awe of God, the sovereign Lord of all things, including evil and suffering. and may they, through their comfort, be better equipped to comfort others who suffer, sharing the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them, and calling them to rejoice in the God of all comfort.
Highly Recommended Book on Suffering Oct 24, 2008
I usually don't enjoy books that consist of a compilation of essays by several different writers. But Suffering and the Sovereignty of God defied my prejudice. The writers all share the same vision for the manifestation of God's glory in human suffering, and each author knows personally what it means to suffer.
Suffering and the Sovereignty of God seeks to help others in their time of suffering, not by offering a theological treatise on the relationship of God's sovereignty and human evil, but by walking together with the reader through the season of pain. Joni Erickson Tada contributes a chapter on the importance of hope. Steve Saint compellingly relates the story of his father's missionary death and the sudden death of his daughter, and strongly affirms that both these terrible events were planned in advance by our wise and loving God.
Mark Talbot's chapter is the most "theological," as it wrestles with how God's gracious hand can be seen in human suffering. (I do not think the word "ordain" is best when referring to human suffering, for it sounds too much like "God approves of" in a moral sense. Still, Talbot's outline is helpful.)
The appendices are worth reading too. John Piper and David Powlison encourage readers to not "waste" their cancer. And the book ends with a fascinating interview with John Piper. This book is highly recommended, not as a place to find all the answers you might have in your time of suffering, but a place to hear words of encouragement and comfort from authors who are not strangers to suffering themselves.
A BLESSING!!!!! Aug 3, 2007
I think this is such a hard topic for many of us who personally have gone through difficult times. I know the theology, but it didn't make my heart feel any better. I have three special needs children and I have never been able to really understand our suffering within our family. I know God is wonderful and works all things for good for those who love him. I believe in Romans 8:28, but my heart had moments where life felt so difficult for my husband and me. This book has been a real blessing to me and has really given me hope while raising these babies. I realize that God has called me to raise these children for a purpose higher than i really know here on earth. I needed this book at just this time in my walk. I pray that whoever reads this book will be as blessed as I have been. If God led you to read these reviews, i say buy this book and let God speak to you through it. God bless~
Humbling Essays Feb 5, 2007
This book has some great essays. It provides a great mix of theology, and personal testimony, and narratives of how God uses suffering to progress the gospel. The question of suffering is very complex so having a variety of writers from diverse backgrounds attacking the issue from slightly different perspectives helps the reader to understand how God uses suffering to glorify Himself, to mature us in Christ, and to progress the gospel. Suffering can not always be explained, but we have a God who has suffered through his Son and that should bring great comfort to us. The most poignant essays were by Piper and Joni. Another good essay was Suffering and Missionaries. The book starts off with essays by Piper and Taylor putting suffering within the framework of God's sovereignty.
I haven't suffered much. I was humbled by stories of suffering in this book. The book was very encouraging because the authors of these essays were very honest in their struggles, but yet praised God for the suffering. Their endurance was not their effort, but God's strength working through them.
Suffering and yet Sovereignty Dec 5, 2006
In Piper's book, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, he makes a clear distinction at the very beginning of Chapter 1 that the reasoning behind his book stems from the ultimate reality that God is the supreme value in and above the universe. I found that comforting, knowing that this book was going to focus on suffering without giving God the easy way out. After reading through it, I realized that this is exactly the focus that Piper intended to convey in his writing. It gives a very heartfelt and sincere, yet firm message that the Lord allows all things according to His will and purpose.
Throughout scripture we are reminded of God's purposes in suffering and the vital role that it plays in strengthening our faith and dependency on God. I had not yet come to grasp however, (until reading this book) that many times suffering is the cost of obedience. I think too often we are told that obedience leads to greater fulfillment and contentment in Christ. Ultimately, yes, but there is definitely something to be said for individuals that choose to be obedient, knowing full well that the road is paved with suffering.
I also found it interesting that this type of suffering leads not only to greater obedience but also to greater compassion. This wouldn't have been my natural inclination. I don't usually think about the Apostle Paul, Jeremiah the Prophet, or King David as being very compassionate. Perhaps this is due to their human perspective in relation to their sufferings and the call on their lives. However, you can not read the words of Christ and not sense the compassion that he has for us.
I would and have been recommending this book to a number of my friends. Excellent read!
