Book Review~Life's a Pain

I have chronic pain due to spine problems and arthritis.  Over the years, I have struggled with accepting this and have wondered why God didn't take the pain away.  Life's A Pain: Journeying By Faith When Every Step Hurts immediately appealed to me.  What's really fascinating is that it is written by a pastor, Todd Rettberg, who has dealt with chronic pain himself for most of his life.  He knows what it is like to deal with daily pain while being a husband, father, and pastor.

The author uses stories from his own life and others, as well as Scripture, to help us understand that God is there for us every step of the way.  Also, that God made it clear in the Scriptures that we will have pain. Instead of thinking of it as a punishment from God, think about it this way: "He thought so much of me that He believed my pain could be used for His glory."

I think people who don't understand chronic pain think it doesn't affect the rest of your life, but oh it does.  The pain in my spine effects the rest of my body, my energy level, my mood, and my attitude.  It effects how I interact with my family and friends.

When you faithfully call out to God for help in the midst of your suffering, and nothing changes (or it gets worse), you may wonder why this Heavenly Father who loves you so much is letting you suffer.  That's hard to wrap your mind around, and is probably the cause of many people losing faith in God.

I really liked this quote from the book, "In our culture people are surprised when suffering appears.  But are we surprised when God blesses us?  If not, why are we surprised when the opposite occurs?  As Job put it, 'Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?' Job 2:10"

It is up to the individual what they will do with their pain-I choose to use it for God's glory.  I've done the pity party thing and it is no fun for me or those around me. Life's a Pain: Journeying By Faith When Every Step Hurts has been a blessing and help to me, and I highly suggest it to those with chronic pain and those who are close to someone with chronic pain.  This is a book I have underlined and highlighted, and plan to keep out for future reference and encouragement.

Life's a Pain (ISBN 9781936746248) is available for purchase here.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookCrash.com book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive, review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”