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All the books below deal with a very difficult subject: the problem of suffering and pain.

Suffering Is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot – If you know even a little bit about Elisabeth Elliot’s life, you probably know that she dealt with (from a human perspective) more than her fair share of loss. However, in this book she reminds her Christian brothers and sisters that the suffering God allows in our lives is always used by Him to bring about our good and His glory. Our pain is never wasted in God’s economy, and even when we don’t understand what possible good God may be achieving through our heartache, we can trust that He is at work.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop – Lament is not something we often talk about but that is not true of the Bible. There is a whole book named after the practice (Lamentations) and there are even songs of lament captured in the book of Psalms. Throughout Scripture we see biblical figures in periods of lament as they mourn loss and deal with grief. In this book, Mark Vroegop helps modern readers learn how to lament in a way that brings our pain and petitions before the throne room of God. Our Father is big enough to handle our questions and our grief. While it may seem like a book on lament would be discouraging, on the contrary, I found that seeing lament from a biblical perspective renewed my sense of comfort and confidence in our good and gracious God.

Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolkerstorff – There is no way around it; this book is heartbreaking. It provides a real and raw look of grief as the author, a renowned philosopher, walks through the unexpected death of his adult son. If you have never experienced a searing loss, but know someone who has, this book may give you a better understanding of the pain they are going through. If you have gone through loss, this book may help you experience the comfort of knowing someone who has walked the road you are on. One caution – if you are in the throes of grief and your heart is tender, wait to read this until the initial shock has abated.

Suffering and the Goodness of God edited by Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson – First a disclaimer, Chris is a colleague and a friend. However, he is also a world-class theologian. In this book, he, Robert Peterson, and a host of contributors help the reader wrestle through how the Bible handles the seeming paradox of our pain and God’s goodness. This book is detailed and at times intellectually intense, examining what both the New and Old Testament teach us about this subject. However, it also includes contributions from those who have suffered deeply, helping ensure that the discussions therein are not just philosophical in nature. If you want to have a clearer understanding of how to address the problem of pain from a biblical perspective (and we all can probably benefit from being able to do that), this book will greatly help you in that endeavor.