Resources for Suffering

When someone you love goes through a trial, their suffering becomes your suffering.  Such is the case with us; we have a loved one who may be entering a time of intense suffering.  And because we love her dearly, we are suffering, too.  It may be that God delivers her - & therefore, us - from this affliction, but then again, He may not.  Either way, He's good.  In any case, we all need to be prepared for the inevitable suffering that comes to all men.  The absolute best way to do that, in our opinion, is reading.  Scripture is our lifeline.  There are also other resources that we can turn to; men & women of God who have been blessed by Him with the gift of "preaching" through writing.  Michael is the family theological librarian, so he's thrown himself into researching out the best books that speak to suffering.  And if you know Michael, you know that he's already got most of these . . . and those he doesn't already own, he will soon!  Now, this list is not by any means exhaustive; there are soooo many more wonderful books that we just aren't able to list that can be found at Monergism & Westminster.  By all means, check these out, as well.  You'll probably think that I sound like a broken record, but John Piper has preached some stellar sermons on suffering, death, & sickness & his poem about Job (which you can download or listen to him read aloud) is phenomenal!

-Sunsets:  Reflections For Life's Final Journey by Deborah Howard 

-Where Is God in All of This?: Finding God's Purpose in Our Suffering by Deborah Howard

-My God is True: Lessons Learned along Cancer's Dark Road by Paul D. Wolfe

-Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow by Nancy Guthrie (this is one of many excellent books on suffering & grieving by her)

-Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in The Christian Life by R. C. Sproul

-Does Grace Grow Best in Winter? by J. Ligon Duncan; J. Nicholas Reid

-Fear Not!: Death and the Afterlife from a Christian Perspective by J. Ligon Duncan; J. Nicholas Reid

-Is God Really in Control?: Trusting God in a World of Terrorism, Tsunamis, and Personal Tragedy by Jerry Bridges

-When God Weeps by Joni Eareckson Tada

-Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges

-Beside Still Waters: Words of Comfort for the Soul by C. H. Spurgeon

-If I Should Die Before I Wake: A Look Beyond This Life by Scott Oliphint; Sinclair Ferguson

-A Steadfast Heart: Experiencing God's Comfort in Life's Storms by Elyse Fitzpatrick (this also comes with a wonderful CD with Scripture readings & songs)

-A Place of Healing: Wrestling with the Mysteries of Suffering, Pain, and God's Sovereignty by Joni Eareckson Tada

-Power Perfected In Weakness by Chris Klicka

-Suffering and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper

-Miraculous Healing: Why Does God heal some and not others? by Henry Frost

-Suffering: Eternity Makes a Difference (RCL Booklet) by Paul David Tripp

-From Grief to Glory by James W. Bruce III

-Grief: Finding Hope Again (CCEF Booklet) by Paul David Tripp

-A Shelter in the Time of Storm: Meditations on God and Trouble by Paul David Tripp

-If God is Good:  Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil by Randy Alcorn

-Heaven by Randy Alcorn

-How Long, O Lord?:  Reflections on Suffering and Evil by D.A. Carson

-Polishing God's Monuments:  Pillars of Hope for Punishing Times by Jim Andrews

-Why Does It Have to Hurt:  The Meaning of Christian Suffering by Dan G. McCartney

-When the Darkness Will Not Lift by John Piper