Review: Finding God in the Hard Times: Choosing to Trust and Hope When You Can’t see the Way by Matt and Beth Redman

Review: Finding God in the Hard Times: Choosing to Trust and Hope When You Can't See the Way

Matt and Beth Redman

Bethany House

2005

What to say about this little book? First it is short, about 120 pages including front matter, two forwards, and a set of questions for discussion. But, the material in between all that is worth the read. The chapters are based on the different portions of a song the authors wrote in 2002, Blessed Be Your Name. Many of us know this song and love it, but haven’t given the lyrics much thought really. This book gives us a chance to do a little thinking in that regard.

For example, how heavily the contemporary songs emphasize victory and equate blessings with the plentiful, bountiful, comfortable life. Little there for when things get tough. And they do and will continue to do so. What then? That’s the point of this little book. What then? What choices will we make then? What will lift the darkness then? Good questions and there are others like “why me?”. The authors give us a great start on finding some answers. As always it seems the answers are too simple for us to believe. Another three hundred pages would not help either. And that might be the only nit I have with this book. It’s so readable and short that the reader will breeze right through it and miss the important message found in the text. But, then we could re-read it or slow down a little.

I do recommend this little book as a place to start the conversation to answer the hard questions we ask in the tough times.

This book was provided by the publisher in return for a review.

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