Recommended: Suffering & Hope

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Suffering is not an interruption to the Christian life; it’s part of it. Jesus told His disciples, “In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Scripture speaks with remarkable honesty about sorrow—lamenting sin, injustice, loss, and weakness—yet it never leaves us in despair. Our hope is not in minimizing pain but in Christ who bore it, who sustains us now, and who promises resurrection.

I don’t pretend these themes are easy. Most of us come to them not from theory but from wounds. Yet again and again, I have found that God’s Word and the voices of wise teachers help us endure with faith, grieve with hope, and look for the day when He will wipe every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4). The books below have been especially helpful because they hold truth and tenderness together—refusing both shallow clichés and hollow despair.

Good Grief – Granger E. Westberg
A classic little book that has helped countless people process loss. Westberg describes common stages of grief with pastoral warmth, offering reassurance that grief is a normal part of healing. While simple, it remains a trusted companion for those walking through sorrow.

A Grace Disguised – Jerry Sittser
Out of profound personal loss, Sittser writes with honesty and depth about how suffering reshapes us. His reflections are candid without bitterness, pointing to the possibility of grace and growth even in the face of devastating grief.

Lament for a Son – Nicholas Wolterstorff
Written after the sudden death of his son, Wolterstorff’s journal-like reflections are raw, poetic, and deeply moving. It is one of the most profound modern Christian meditations on grief and hope.

Glorious Weakness – Alia Joy
Joy shares her story of chronic illness, depression, and poverty with striking honesty. She shows how weakness can become the very place where God’s strength is most clearly seen.

Hope When It Hurts – Kristen Wetherell & Sarah Walton
Written by two women walking through long-term illness and suffering, this devotional provides biblical encouragement and honesty. It offers a steady voice of hope for those enduring chronic pain or hardship.

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy – Mark Vroegop
A rich introduction to lament. Vroegop shows how Scripture gives believers language to grieve honestly before God while clinging to His promises. Especially helpful for learning how to pray in seasons of sorrow.

God’s Grace in Your Suffering – David Powlison
With biblical clarity and pastoral gentleness, Powlison guides believers through the experience of suffering. He avoids pat answers, showing instead how God’s Word speaks to our real struggles and sustains us with grace.

Beside Still Waters – Charles H. Spurgeon
A collection of brief meditations drawn from Spurgeon’s sermons, compiled to comfort the suffering. With a pastor’s heart and gospel-centered clarity, Spurgeon points weary saints to Christ as their refuge.

Walking with God through Pain and Suffering – Timothy Keller
Keller gives a comprehensive, pastoral, and theological treatment of suffering. He addresses cultural objections, biblical foundations, and practical resources for endurance, offering both intellectual depth and pastoral comfort.

The Bruised Reed – Richard Sibbes
This Puritan classic reminds us of Christ’s gentleness toward the weak and struggling. Sibbes paints a picture of the Savior who will not break the bruised reed or quench the smoldering wick, offering hope to the fainthearted.

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God – John Piper & Justin Taylor (eds.)
This collection of essays addresses suffering from a Reformed perspective, emphasizing God’s sovereignty and sustaining grace. The contributions are both doctrinally rich and pastorally oriented.

The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis
Lewis offers a classic apologetic reflection on why a good God allows suffering. Though more philosophical than pastoral, it remains a clear and enduring entry point for wrestling with the intellectual side of suffering.

A Place of Healing – Joni Eareckson Tada
Writing from decades of living with quadriplegia and chronic pain, Joni testifies to God’s sustaining grace. Her reflections are saturated with Scripture and pastoral warmth, offering hope to those wrestling with questions of healing and endurance.

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Disclaimer: The resources listed here have been selected because they offer particular value for Christian growth and understanding. Their inclusion does not imply full agreement with every statement or position taken by the authors. As with any book outside of Scripture, readers should exercise discernment, testing all things by the Word of God (Acts 17:11).