If God Is So Good, Why Do I Hurt So Bad?

"One of the most profound, empathetic and beautiful books ever written on the subject of suffering and loss." - Sheila Walsh In this powerful book, Biebel leaves behind the all-too-familiar platitudes and instead offers the unvarnished truth about the pain of illness, death, divorce, financial ruin, and more. With keen insight and a Christian outlook, Biebel puts God right by your side to help you sort through your hurt and see the value in your trials. His real-life examples and honest approach will help you turn pain into a meaningful journey toward hope and happiness. "This book saved my life," one bereaved father said. A young woman wrote, "I kept this book on my nightstand. Late at night, when I was alone and afraid, I could feel its presence hanging over me like a lightly floating sheet making me feel safe." Over the past twenty-five years, this book has brought comfort and hope to hundreds of thousands of the author's fellow pilgrims on the way of suffering. Now, this major revision is even more practical and helpful for those who hurt and those who wish to understand. In these pages you will find: - Eight essential truths about pain and healing - Questions for personal reflection or group study - Insights into relevant biblical texts and themes - A pathway toward a deeper, more personal relationship with the One who shares our sorrows, and is acquainted with our grief "In this remarkable book, my friend Dave Biebel helps the reader understand exactly what's so good about God in the midst of suffering." - Joni Eareckson Tada In this revised and updated version of a best-selling classic on the subject of loss and renewal, first published in 1989, the author comes alongside people in pain, and shows the way through and beyond it, to joy again. This book has proven helpful to those who are struggling and to those who wish to understand and help. Having lost his first son in 1978, Dr. Biebel became immersed in pain, again, in 1986, when his second son, Christopher, was stricken with the same genetically linked illness that had caused Jonathan's death just a few years earlier. The preface captures the book's honesty and practicality, "All around us, people are in pain. Emotional, physical, relational, spiritual - whatever its sources, the pain feels the same. Even born-again, sincere, evangelical, Bible-believing, church-going, church-leading believers are in pain.... Many who hurt have been nursing the wounds for so long they can't remember what it's like to be anything other than sad. Others denied the pain and submerged the anger so long ago that they are unaware how the resulting depression, even bitterness, has subtly impacted their ability to love.... Now I know it's possible you've heard a lot of principles and endured too much advice. So I'll skip most of that and try for something else: Truth - one pilgrim to another. And the truth is, pain has two faces, human and divine. The human face is haggard, drawn, contorted, and streaked with tears. The divine is calm, assuring, kind, and loving - but likewise streaked with tears."