Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense

Sometimes life doesn't make sense. When death, illness, unemployment, or a difficult relationship challenges everything we thought we knew, we can feel utterly unprepared to cope. Best-selling author Paul David Tripp weaves together his personal story, years of counseling experience, and biblical insights to help us in the midst of suffering, identifying 6 traps to avoid-including doubt, discouragement, and denial-and 6 comforts to embrace-including God's presence, God's people, and God's grace. Exploring a wide range of common experiences, this raw yet hope-filled book will empower readers to cling to God's promises when trials come and then move forward with the hope of the gospel.

Endorsements:

"We don't have to go looking for it. It will come and find us. Sooner or later, suffering at a catastrophic level will wreck our lives. Paul Tripp understands that personally. He also understands the gospel personally. His new book does not trivialize our sufferings with glib formulas. This wise book leads us deeper into the gospel of the cross and closer to the Man of Sorrows himself."
Ray Ortlund, Lead Pastor, Immanuel Church, Nashville, Tennessee

"This book is a balm to the soul that you will pick up and not be able to put down; it will also become a beloved friend to return to for years to come and trusted wisdom to pass out to other weary wanderers."
Ann Voskamp, New York Times best-selling author, The Broken Way and One Thousand Gifts

"Writing after the shock of unexpectedly losing his own health and dealing with ongoing suffering, Paul Tripp offers very practical advice. In particular, his reflections on common 'traps' often faced by people who suffer will prove helpful to many who find themselves being tossed about by the storms of life."
Kelly M. Kapic, author, Embodied Hope; Professor of Theological Studies, Covenant College

"Dealing daily with quadriplegia and chronic pain (and having battled stage III cancer), I know something about suffering-and to be honest, there's hardly a book on the subject I haven't read. But when Paul David Tripp offers his insights on our afflictions, that gets my attention. And this book does not disappoint. Yes, Paul offers an empathetic ear and solid comfort, but he fills these pages with practical, no-nonsense counsel on how to move through and beyond suffering into a fresh and lively hope. I highly recommend this remarkable new work."
Joni Eareckson Tada, Founder and CEO, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

"I have read countless books on suffering, but few have inspired me to reevaluate my own adversity the way Suffering has. Paul Tripp's willingness to unpack his own pain, candidly sharing the insights he has gleaned, is an unspeakable gift. His personal story is both riveting and reassuring as it points us to the unshakable hope we have in Christ, even in unimaginable circumstances. This book is a masterpiece. I cannot recommend it highly enough."
Vaneetha Rendall Risner, author, The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering

"Honest. Compelling. Grace filled. This book is a gift. Paul Tripp speaks to us not as a theoretician but as a fellow sufferer. His counsel is illuminated by personal experiences, informed by biblical truth, and infused with gospel hope. With compassion and empathy, he fortifies us against the common temptations we face when suffering and helps us see that our suffering, however great, was never meant to define us. Most importantly, he points us to the Savior who has suffered in our place so that we might be ever confident of his love, his wisdom, and his good purposes for our lives."
Bob Kauflin, Director, Sovereign Grace Music

"Once more, Paul Tripp has taken God's truth and applied it to our souls in a way that is both challenging and comforting. He understands the deep wells of suffering from his own experience and that of others he counsels. He clearly identifies the tempting traps that so frequently entice the heart of the sufferer, then beckons him on to find rest in God. This book will be my 'go-to' to give those looking to understand God's good work of suffering in our lives. I am so sorry for Tripp's suffering, but I am so grateful for this book!"
Connie Dever, author, He Will Hold Me Fast; Curriculum and Music Writer, The Praise Factory

"Paul Tripp writes this book with an honesty and humility that invites us into God's intimate work on his heart through the dark nights. What he found-and what you'll find if you read this book-is that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us hope even in the most confusing and painful moments of life. Whether or not you're suffering today, read this book and prepare yourself for the days ahead."
Dave Furman, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Church of Dubai; author, Kiss the Wave and Being There

"Paul Tripp always writes with honesty, authenticity, and gospel sanity. But in his new book, Paul gifts us with a vulnerability that is rare, freeing, and inviting. As he chronicles his own journey through a life-threatening illness, Tripp helps us understand the difference between hope and hype-between spiritual spin and trusting our Father when our control, dignity, and certainty are under assault. This is one of the most timely, courageous, and helpful books on suffering I have ever read."
Scotty Ward Smith, Pastor Emeritus, Christ Community Church, Franklin, Tennessee; Teacher in Residence, West End Community Church, Nashville, Tennessee

Table of Contents:

Introduction

The Day My Life Changed
Suffering Is Never Neutral
The Awareness Trap
The Fear Trap
The Envy Trap
The Doubt Trap
The Denial Trap
The Discouragement Trap
The Comfort of God's Grace
The Comfort of God's Presence
The Comfort of God's Sovereignty
The Comfort of God's Purpose
The Comfort of God's People
The Comfort of a Heart at Rest
General Index
Scripture Index

• Publisher.

Publisher Description

:"This book is a balm to the soul that you will pick up and not be able to put down." -Ann Voskamp, New York Times best-selling author, The Broken Way and One Thousand Gifts

Sometimes life just hurts.

Out of nowhere, death, illness, unemployment, or a difficult relationship can change our lives and challenge everything we thought we knew-leaving us feeling unable to cope. But, in the midst if all this pain and confusion, we are not alone.

Weaving together his personal story, pastoral ministry experience, and biblical insights, best-selling author Paul David Tripp helps us trust God in the midst of suffering. He identifies traps to avoid in our suffering and points us instead to comforts to embrace. This raw yet hope-filled book will help you cling to God's promises when trials come and move forward with the hope of the gospel.