How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil (Baker) by D.A. Carson
Personal tragedy and heartache. Accident, illness and infirmity. Drought, earthquake, tsunami. Terrorist atrocities. War, genocide, poverty, famine. All we have to do is live long enough, and we will suffer in one way or another.
In this classic work, Don Carson addresses the issue of evil and suffering with sensitivity, pastoral concern and biblical insight. He helps Christians prepare for the day when they have to experience a “frowning providence” and face it with faith and hope because of an unshakable trust in the providence of God.
What About Evil? A Defense of God’s Sovereign Glory (P&R) by Scott Christensen
Reconciling the existence of God and evil has been a long-standing conundrum in Christian theology, yet a philosophical approach — rather than a theological one — dominates the discussion.
Turning to the Bible’s grand storyline, Christensen examines how sin, evil, corruption, and death fit into the broad outlines of redemptive history. He argues that God’s ultimate end in creation is to magnify His glory to His image-bearers, most notably by defeating evil through the atoning work of Christ.
I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith (Crossway) by Philip Graham Ryken
Will God do what He says He promises? Can we trust His intentions? Is He even good? Without guidance, these doubt-filled questions can hinder spiritual progress and lead to discouragement. Thankfully, the Bible offers encouraging examples of men and women who remained faithful to God even through seasons of uncertainty.
This encouraging work explores 10 Bible stories on the topic of faith and doubt to reassure readers that doubt is normal for Christians. These stories cover a wide range of questions and doubts that most Christians experience at some point in their faith journey — doubts about God’s power, protection, justice, healing, and more. Ultimately, readers will better understand the dynamic of faith and doubt, helping them renew their faith in God even through times of uncertainty.
Faithfully Present: Embracing the Limits of Where and When God Has You (The Good Book Company) by Adam Ramsey
Do you ever wish that life would slow down? Or perhaps you’re in a season when you would like to hit the fast-forward button and speed things up a bit. We have a complicated relationship with time, usually wishing we had more of it. Many of us live life at full speed, trying to be in two places at once, our minds too busy and distracted by all the things we feel we ought to be doing to be mindful of God’s presence.
In this thought-provoking book, Ramsey teaches us to embrace the limitations of time and place that we have as created beings, liberating us from the feeling that we need to be everywhere at once.