Review: Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain

Note: I'm reviewing this book as part of the Thomas Nelson Book Reviewer Program

In the immortal words of Westley of The Princess Bride, "Life is pain. Anyone who says differently is selling something."

In Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain, the authors address pain that comes into our lives through 7 different forms:

• Injustice
• Rejection
• Loneliness
• Loss
• Discipline
• Failure
• Death

They never attempt to belittle the very authentic pain that people suffer through. It's not some glossed over shot of "well, you're just not seeing things through the correct perspective" as those going through hard times in life all too often receive as "advice."



Nor do David Henderson & Paul Meier (of the Meier clinics) ever even hint at the possibility that our pain is caused by a lack of faith in God, or an immaturity in our faith. Which can sometimes be a response that some very well-meaning people can fall back on.

In address the question, "Is there a purpose beyond my pain?" the authors respond: "With God the answer is always yes. God can use any circumstance, even our pain, to bring about good things in our lives. The darkness may be exactly what we need in order to see the light of his presence and purpose shining all around us."

All that being said, I just didn't think the book was that great.

It was the same thing I've read previously by many other authors, from many different time periods.

Also, I'm not really going through a painful time of life...so I'm not exactly the "target market" for this book ;)

Maybe this will be something I'll come back to at another time if I go through some pain...but for right now, it just wasn't applicable.

If however you are experiencing pain in this part of your life, this could be a good book to check out to see if it can help you make sense of it all and drag something good from it.