Recommended Reading

We are often asked what books God has used to teach and minister to us throughout our lives. It is very difficult to narrow the list to just a few, so I will list those that pertain to suffering and God’s relationship to it. The following books have been like water to my thirsty soul, especially in the years of my affliction. I’m sure, however, that the authors recommended here would never want their writings to replace your daily, in-depth Bible study. And neither would I. The Bible contains the only words that within themselves possess life and the power to work in your situation! It, therefore, is my first and highest recommendation! As you know, the Word “is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” (Psalm 119:72 NIV).

Incidentally, one reason I was blessed and touched so deeply by the first four books listed here is because their pages are filled with scripture upon scripture. As I read them, my mind was renewed through the Word.

I pray, if you are led to supplement your Bible study with one of these books, that God will bless you and teach you enormously!

1. Learning to Embrace Life’s Disappointments As Silver Refined
by Kay Arthur, WaterBrook Press

Through this book, Kay teaches us how to respond to the disappointments in our lives. It also has a companion Bible Study book that I highly recommend! What a way to merge an excellent book and your daily, in-depth Bible study together!

2. When God Weeps:
Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty
by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steven Estes, Zondervan Publishing House

This book addresses tough questions such as, “If God is loving, why is there suffering?”; “When bad things happen, who’s behind them—God or the devil?” and “What are some reasons God allows suffering?” I have found it unparalleled in the way that it combines scripture references, answers to these plaguing questions, and encouragement from the authors’ personal experiences.

3. When Heaven is Silent:
Live by Faith, Not by Sight
By Ronald Dunn, Thomas Nelson Publishers

I read this book in the second year of my disabling illness, before the really intense years of anguish began. Because of the foundation and perspective God helped establish in my life through When Heaven Is Silent, I was able to properly view God and His relationship to my suffering when the afflictions became unbearable…and seemingly unending. I learned how God could bless me through difficulty, how to respond to it, what to do with my anger and questions asking “why?” and I learned, through Ron Dunn’s use of the ‘Psalms of Darkness’, that it was okay for me to be honest with God and express my feelings.

4. Will God Heal Me:
Faith in the Midst of Suffering
By Ron Dunn, Multnomah Books

Ron Dunn teaches us what the Bible says about healing. He does so with theological integrity and sound Biblical scholarship. Ronn, though he was a pastor for many years, and a man of Biblical study, was not exempt from grief and suffering himself. These books are written from the well of his experience and scriptural knowledge. Reading this book settled issues that, for me, appeared to be Biblical controversies. It answers authoritatively the questions I once had about God’s relationship to illness.

“Why does God heal some people and not others?” “What if God doesn’t make me well?” “How should I pray about healing?” These are examples of the types of questions that are answered in this book.

5. The Case for Faith
By Lee Strobel, Zondervan Publishing House

The Case for Faith addresses the objections to belief that are obstacles to faith in the lives of many. The toughest questions are tackled intellectually with remarkable accuracy and exhaustive depth. Some chapter titles include:
• Since Evil and Suffering Exist, a Loving God Cannot
• Since Miracles Contradict Science, They Cannot Be True
• God Isn’t Worthy of Worship If He Kills Innocent Children
• It’s Offensive to Claim Jesus Is the Only Way to God

As you can see, this book is for everyone—seekers, doubters, and believers.

 

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Recommended Books About Christian Fasting