I turned my life over to Christ at age 9 and followed Him through my teen and college years and into my adult life. In His time of pain, it appeared as if God the Father did not care or was not there. New books! The first three chapters are very deep as it challenges readers to trust God when we have bad things and situations happen unexpectedly in our lives. Faith means you obey even when you don’t understand it. I only recently discovered Jerry Bridges writings and his book 'The Gospel for Real Life' was truly a wonderful work in which he systematically lays out the fullness of the gospel and how it should impact all of us as Christians. What he learned changed his life, and in Trusting God he shares the fruit of that study. Extremely biblical and practical...classic Jerry Bridges. [ This is my problem with Christ's parables as well. I came to a place where I felt like God loved everyone else, but me. Before I get to my review of this book, I want to share my reason for reading it in the first place. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. Enjoyed every page of this book. What he learned changed his life, and in Trusting God he shares the fruit of that study. This book is excellent! To see what your friends thought of this book, Goodreads is not a site to read the books, just to find new books and information about them, reviews, ratings, etc. A quote from Alexander Carson at the end of the book sums the book up well, "Nothing can be more consoling to the man of. (Deut 29:29). However, I really appreciated his devotion to the thesis that how we read the Bible and worship in spirit and truth when things are well will often be revealed in our response to affliction. World events can cause anxiety and fear also. The books shows that God is sovereign over everything in our lives both good and bad. As God's rule is invincible, so it is incomprehensible. Bridges provides flesh to the bones of Romans 8:28-29 that leaves little doubt as to our responsibility and the joy we find in trusting our great God. Christians of yesteryear used to speak of events and circumstances as not being due to “second causes.” This was a quaint way of speaking of God’s sovereignty. JERRY BRIDGES was an author and conference speaker. In Trusting God, Jerry shares the scope of God’s power to help you come to know Him better, have a relationship with Him, and trust Him more—even when unjust things happen. We cannot understand all His reasons, because we cannot know and understand all that He knows. Trusting God is very clear in getting this point across. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Jerry Bridges seems to have a knack for communicating the biblical understanding of the tension between of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. (2) God is infinite wisdom. Regardless of the hurt, the common phrase, “Life is difficult” is true. I had to finally accept this, as I prefer to be in control. Pointless Pain? A must read. The first three chapters are very deep as it challenges readers to trust God when we have bad things and situations happen unexpectedly in our lives. Ther... By Jennifer Hudson Taylor Over the years I've seen posts on writing blogs regarding sales tax issues for writers. Trusting God Even When Life Hurts is filled to the brim with ways to help you build your faith and trust in God. Grappling with His concern for us we ask, "Why is God allowing this?" This is an old blog that I started in 2006. But in and through every hurt, every suffering, every hardship, he is unfolding his purposes for your everlasting good. I won't go into the details of all the things that brought me to this state of mind and spiritual heartbreak, but suffice it to say that this book helped bring some perspectives back to my thought process and helped open the door to my healing. Why I Read this Book God has already acted toward us in love, mercy, and grace, and He continues to act that way toward us as He works to conform us to the likeness of Christ." God is infinite in wisdom. How fitting. When life hurts, and I mean, really hurts, our faith in Jesus sometimes hurts too.It’s hard to have faith when life hurts. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 215 pages and is available in Paperback format. A great book I highly recommend! We’d love your help. Pray your way through it. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5 HCSB). You’ve gotta just trust me on this.” Some critics look at this response as a non-answer to the problem. Thank you Jennifer. God sovereignly uses the most ordinary circumstances to accomplish His purpose. I started it several years ago. or "What have I done wrong?" I turned my life over to Christ at age 9 and followed Him through my teen and college years and into my adult life. You’re not. I recommend this to anyone looking to grow in their knowledge of God’s sovereignty and to deeper their trust and dependence on God and His plans. Desiring God recently asked Bridges, “If you could leave behind only one of the books you’ve written, which would it be?” His answer was Trusting God Even When Life Hurts. What he learned changed his life, and he now shares the fruit of that study in Trusting God. Yes, Christ died on the cross for me, but He died for everyone and I just happened to be included. And that makes all the difference. Trust God on this one. Events like coronavirus, earthquakes in Salt Lake where my family live, and a volatile economy, have all converged in my time reading this book. Our first priority in times of adversity is to honor and glorify God by trusting Him. He constantly sustains that which He created. If we are to trust God, we must believe He really is in control of our lives, that He is wise in His dealings, and that He is loving. His complete sovereignty, infinite wisdom, and perfect love are always at work on our behalf - even when we don’t understand the things we see. Bridges does an excellent job of drawing out what the Bible has to say about trusting God. I get so hung up on the trivialities, that I can't see the big picture. Times when we don't understand why these things happened to us and we have no control over what has come upon us. His discussion of God's sovereignty is beyond thorough, while the sections on God's wisdom and God's love feel a bit like an afterthought. Our faith requires trusting God with what we don't know and cannot understand. The focus here is primarily on the sovereignty of God, which makes sense since the book was essentially a result of Bridges' own personal bible study on that subject. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us.”. Reread. Your feelings and circumstances matter and are very much worth paying attention to. Our duty is found in the revealed will of God in the Scriptures. This book made it very practical to my life. Sometimes it is very hard to trust God for the out come and simply place our trust in His sovereignty over all things. Some of the thoughts I enjoyed: "But God does not act toward us in bare sovereignty, wielding His power oppressively or tyrannically. The focus here is primarily on the sovereignty of God, which makes sense since the book was essentially a result of Bridges' own personal bible study on that subject. Is My Hurt the Result of Not Trusting God?,Sarah Van Diest - Read more about spiritual life growth, Christian living, and faith. God's wisdom, then, is greater than the wisdom of any of our adversaries, whether they be of other people or the Devil himself. So when we feel stuck, we can trust that God “will never leave us or forsake us.” (Deuteronomy 31:6). by NavPress Publishing Group. Adversity is hard to endure and can be even harder to understand. The revelations changed his life. This books deserves to permanently sit on my "must read again" shelf. Jesus Himself faces this challenge on the cross when He asked, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" This book doesn't sugar coat reality and it deals with hard truths that we have to accept whether or not we understand why God has allowed some tragic events to happen to us and/or our loved ones. As you explore the scope of God’s power over nations, nature, and even the details of your life, you’ll find yourself trusting Him more completely—even when life hurts. And this is where Bridges begins. By Jennifer Hudson Taylor Just like with today's houses, the size and number of rooms inside medieval castles varied according to the ... By Jennifer Hudson Taylor In the Old Testament of the book of Genesis, Jacob's son, Joseph, is sold into slavery by his brothers and... By Jennifer Hudson Taylor The Rest of the World The purpose of business cards is to promote your business--the company you work for. Trusting God Even When Life Hurts is filled to the brim with ways to help you build your faith and trust in God. I highly recommend this book for people who have been through difficult times and who struggle with questioning and trusting God. God is completely sovereign. Not easy, but it's worth doing. Welcome back. If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe that just as certainly as God will allow nothing to subvert his glory, so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us. When we question God's reason for allowing things to happen, we question His sovereign power, authority and wisdom. Thank you. When unexpected circumstances arise that appear unjust, irrational, or even dreadful, we feel confused and frustrated. I plan to read this book again next year, because I need to constantly remind myself of these truths. Trusting God When Life Hurts, Act VI: Looking At Christ Filed Under: Supernatural Life Tagged With: Discipleship , Encouragement , Knowing God , Supernatural Guest post: Meadow Rue Merrill is a journalist and award-winning author who has enjoyed great blessing and … i'm a new member of Goodreads, how do i start reading the book in my books lists? This new edition replaces both Trusting God (paperback ISBN 9781600063053) and the study guide (paperback ISBN 9781600063060) by combining both resources into one volume! Won't be for the last time either! "For the believer all pain has meaning; all adversity is profitable." It is the kind of talk that a faithful friend will always be happy to repeat. I highly recommend this book for people who have been through difficult times and who struggle with questioning and trusting God. Some notes and quotes I have highlighted from Trusting God. When you trust, you let a part of you to surrender the things you have no control. God did not simply create and then walk away. What role does He play when it comes to job loss, the death of a child or loved one, a terminal illness, or other tragedies? We cannot understand all His reasons, because we cannot know and understand all that He knows. Jerry Bridges walks the reader through the three bases for trusting God: His sovereignty (6 chapters), His wisdom (1 chapter), and His love (2 chapters). "There has to be in our lives a delicate balance between godly efforts to improve our situation and godly acceptance of those situations that cannot be changed by us." But like my fictional characters, who are clueless to my strategies, we lack the perspective to see how parts of our lives fit into God’s overall plan. Some of the thoughts I enjoyed: "But God does not act toward us in bare sovereignty, wielding His power oppressively or tyrannically. As you begin to explore the scope of God's power over nations, and the detailed lives of individuals, you'll begin to acknowledge His loving control. When we are realizing our dreams, when relationships are thriving, when finances are flowing, and the stars are aligning, having faith in God … And as you come to know Him better, you'll find yourself trusting Him more completely. In an effort to strengthen his own trust in God during a time of adversity, Jerry Bridges began a lengthy Bible study on the topic of God's sovereignty. Faith always requires risk. He is working this — even … January 29th 2008 The main characters of this christian, religion story are , . His conclusion is that we can trust our good God, even when life hurts (especially when life hurts!). But I could tell he had a very limited perspective and it honestly felt a little like cheating that he kept saying essentially “this is the scriptural truth, but obviously we can’t beat someone upside the head with the sovereignty of God while they are in a significant calamity.” I appreciate the sentiment and desire to trea. Trusting God is more than a feeling; it’s a choice to have faith in what He says even when your feelings or circumstances would have you believe something different. He can bring good out of the worst day of your life. Why is it easier to obey God than to trust Him? How could He permit cancer in a loved one or the death of a child? A quote from Alexander Carson at the end of the book sums the book up well, "Nothing can be more consoling to the man of God, than the conviction that the Lord who made the world governs the world; and that every event, great and small, prosperous and adverse, is under the absolute disposal of him who doth all things well, and who regulates all things for the good of his people" (p. 231). If God were really in control, why would He allow the tragic auto accident or crucial job loss? The issue is how on... By Jennifer Hudson Taylor As you may have heard by now, Amazon has released its latest program, Kindle Unlimited. First, the author lays the groundwork that God is sovereign over everything. Let us not be guilty of breaking a bruised reed (a heavy heart) by insensitive treatment of the heavy doctrine of the sovereignty of God. By the time I reached the end, it succeeded in making me want to trust God as I used to, but this time with a more realistic and mature expectation. This book is by far the best I have ever read about trials, suffering and grief. This is probably my favourite of his, followed by. If we are bored with life there is something wrong with our concept of God and His involvement in our daily lives. (I may have mentioned this before.). Our duty, then, is to obey the "things revealed," that is, the will of God as revealed in Scripture for every area of life. Review: Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts User Review - lkbucci - Christianbook.com. Book Review - "Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts" by Jerry Bridges, Jennifer Hudson Taylor's books on Goodreads, For Love or Loyalty (The MacGregor Legacy, #1), Kindle Unlimited: Provides Significant Limitations for Authors & Readers, Jennifer Hudson Taylor's Book Signing Tour for Christmas. Due to so many unexpected difficulties in my life, I was in a place of questioning God's love. When we question God's reason for allowing things to happen, we question His sovereign power, authority and wisdom. I appreciate that the book is written "for the average Christian who has not necessarily experienced major catastrophe but who does frequently encounter the typical adversities and heartaches of life" (p. 8). Where is God when horrible things happen? Even though I experienced feelings of anger, frustration and defeat, there were other sections that inspired me with hope again. By the way, he also has a series of messages he gave in his last year of life on God's sovereignty that you can find on sermonaudio.com. Start by marking “Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts” as Want to Read: Error rating book. We must see our circumstances through God's love, instead of, as we are prone to do, seeing God's love through our circumstances. His discussion of God's sovereignty is beyond th. I have found them very helpful. I love Jerry Bridges books. Harder, I think, then when life is going our way. Due to so many unexpected difficulties in my life, I was in a place of questioning God's love. Jerry Bridges seems to have a knack for communicating the biblical understanding of the tension between of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Times when we don't understand why these things happened to us and we have no control over what has come upon us. Lesson 3: God’s Sovereignty over People 249 Lesson 4: God’s Rule over the Nations 259 Lesson 5: God’s Power over Nature 267 Lesson 6: God’s Sovereignty and Our Responsibility 275 Lesson 7: The Wisdom of God 285 Lesson 8: Knowing and Experiencing God’s Love 293 Lesson 9: Trusting God for Who You Are 303 Lesson 10: Growing through Adversity 313 Lesson 11: Choosing to Trust God 323 He loves you too much for that. But Job encountered God. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. In an effort to strengthen his own trust in God during a time of adversity, Navigator author Jerry Bridges began a lengthy Bible study on God’s sovereignty. A must read. Bridges builds his case for trusting God based on three truths: (1) God is completely sovereign. God uses adversity to loosen our grip on those things that are not true fruit. Jerry Bridges’s book Trusting God Even When Life Hurts is a free eBook from Kindle. Every single person experiences adversity. I've always believed in the sovereignty of God. How could He permit cancer in a loved one or the death of a child? But if God is always present, where is God when it hurts and life is difficult? A severe illness or death of someone dear to us, the loss of material substance, the tarnishing of our reputation, the turning aside of friends, or the dashing of our cherished dreams on the rocks of failure, cause us to think about what is really important in life. I walked into this book bound but I walked out free... God is sovereign, wise, and good! Adversity is hard to endure and can be even harder to understand. I want to tell you a story. (Romans 15:4). His most popular book, The Pursuit of Holiness, has sold over one million copies. Therefore, we should not fear what they seek to do, or even succeed in doing to us. I came to a place where I felt like God loved everyone else, but me. If God had allowed some serious heartbreaking things to happen to me once, I didn't trust Him not to make me go through it again or something just as heartbreaking. An excellent book review, extremely thorough. A friend and I thought that we should read a book together over summer break, because we were going through a similar and painful experience. It's a way to keep track of books you want to read or might like to read. I keep it because it has a lot of historical data and people still come here. There are also brief discussions about contentment with self, growth in adversity, and the importance of thanksgiving in hardship. Believing God is totally in control makes the hard times much easier to accept and face HEAD-ON. Trusting God : Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges A readable copy. It was my "Job" moment. God calls upon us to trust him to weave that story together, so that, in the end that will never end, we will worship him, slack-jawed at the sheer genius of his interwoven plotlines. And because of that we can trust him in the midst of our adversity. I always strived to do what was right to the best of my ability. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published I highly recommend this book. And as you come to know Him better, you'll find yourself trusting Him more completely - even when life hurts. I know many people who ask God to guarantee their success before trying what he has asked them to do, but that’s not faith. God cares about them both. LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, and we may follow the words of this law." Happiness is a good thing, but my friend shared an important truth with me that day. (Matthew 27:46). Filled with faith-building scriptures and quotes from leaders in the faith. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. As you explore the scope of God's power over nations, nature, and even the details of your life, you'll find yourself trusting Him more completely--even when life hurts. It's true that trusting is much difficult than obeying. (3) God is perfect in love. (3) God is perfect in love. It's about this book. God brings all things together in our lives for our good. I know how illogical this sounds, but feelings and emotions do not always follow logic. We have to learn to trust God with change.. As Jerry Bridges illustrates in his best-selling book Trusting God, God is more than worthy of our trust. We must learn to trust God when He doesn't tell us why, when we don't understand what He is doing. My bible study started reading this book about the sovereignty of God in January. The revelations changed his life.