Review: SUFFERING IS NEVER FOR NOTHING

Title: Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot

Book Beginnings quote:

When I was told that my first husband, Jim, was missing in Auca Indian country, the Lord brought to my mind some words from the Prophet Isaiah. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isa. 43:2 KJV). I prayed silently, Lord let not the waters overflow. And He heard me and He answered me.

Friday56 quote:

I need pain sometimes because God has something bigger in mind. It is never for nothing.

Summary:

Hard times come for all in life, with no real explanation. When we walk through suffering, it has the potential to devastate and destroy, or to be the gateway to gratitude and joy.

Elisabeth Elliot was no stranger to suffering. Her first husband, Jim, was murdered by the Waorani people in Ecuador moments after he arrived in hopes of sharing the gospel. Her second husband was lost to cancer. Yet, it was in her deepest suffering that she learned the deepest lessons about God.

Why doesn't God do something about suffering? He has, He did, He is, and He will.

Review: Almost exactly a year ago to this date, my siblings and I visited both Ecuador and Panama, wanting to retrace the footsteps of our paternal grandfather who made a monumental trip 100 years before, in 1923, down the Amazon river starting in Ecuador. He was the guide for men hoping to set up missionary outposts in the region. Whatever we all think of that type of evangelism, it was a tremendous trip, one where success wasn't assured. 

Prior to our trip, my sister loaned me a copy of another Elisabeth Elliot book, Made for the Journey, which was about the author's first year living as a missionary in Ecuador. We wanted to read the book to get a feeling for the types of situations our grandfather may have confronted on his trip. I appreciated her story even if I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to put themselves in that situation.

In Suffering is Never for Nothing, Elisabeth Elliot uses examples from her own life, like the death of two of her husbands, to share examples of how God uses suffering to draw believers closer to Him. She says the purpose of the speech (which led to this book) was to examine the subject of suffering. "I'm convinced that there are a good many things in life we can't do anything about, but that God wants us to do something with." I'd say that she does a nice job making her case in this book. Often her words and her examples were comforting to me. Other times I couldn't relate to points she was saying. That's okay. I know I don't have to agree with everything in books. Generally I'd say the message was one of hope and comfort.

Rating: 4 stars

-Anne