A CHRISTIAN’S POCKET GUIDE TO SUFFERING
How God Shapes Us Through Pain and Tragedy
By Brian H. Crosby
Christian Focus. 82 pages. £4.99
ISBN 978 1 781 916 469
This book is presented in ‘The Christian’s Pocket Guide to …’ series. I have only read one of the other ones – Alec Motyer on Loving the Old Testament and if these two are representative of the series, then I would say that Christians who want to be fully informed about their faith should collect the set!
Don’t let the smallness of size lull you into thinking this will be an easy read. I am a speed-reader and found it a challenge to read the book carefully in order to engage with its detailed biblical content. It is packed tight with a biblical theology of suffering. It needs digesting very slowly! I don’t think this book is for a new Christian who is in the midst of suffering, but it could be sensitively worked through with an older Christian by reading it together. It could be used as a study guide on suffering if the participants were willing to put in some serious effort!