Where Is God When It Hurts: Summary And Analysis

Pain is a blessing. Philip Yancey, author of Where is God When it Hurts? (Zondervan, 1990), proposes many thoughtful illustrations of suffering in our lives. He describes pain in a curious fashion, but offers multiple points and recognizes various situations that commonly occur in our lives. Philip Yancey introduces life-changing ideas that involve the purpose of pain, where it comes from, and God’s role in suffering, One crucial point of the book explains that pain, a main aspect of suffering, does not only cause agony and discomfort, but acts as an alarm against harm and a tool that strengthens spirits and teaches those who choose to follow God. Yancey describes pain as being “essential to a normal life… “, and that “Without pain…our lives would be fraught …show more content…
In the final chapter, Yancey summarizes pain’s place in our world: “…a pain system that, even in the midst of a fallen world, still bears the stamp of his genius and equips us for life on this planet” (278). God designed pain, despite its tendency to produce suffering, to “equip us for life” and the trials that come along with it. Additionally, God stands beside us in the midst of our struggle because “He has dignified for all time those who suffer, by sharing their pain” (279). Also, He uses people to come into our lives to suppress pain: “He is with us now, ministering to us through his Spirit in through members of his body who are commissioned to bear us up and relieve our suffering for the sake of the head” (279). God sent His son, Jesus, to live on Earth, meaning that He would experience all the pain a human being suffers. Therefore, He can relate and “share” our pain because He understands the adversity we face. God also places people in our lives to help diminish hardship for the good of His kingdom. All in all, God comforts us in our distress through His Spirit and through the love of