Book Review: When God doesn't make sense
A page in the diary "Accept, Adapt and Appreciate: How?"
Written by nw4m Jun 19 2007 12:26 PM
The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34.18)
This is a book published in 1993 and written by Dr James Dobson, Christian psychologist and family counsellor.
Does his name ring a bell? Of course it does!
If you do recall, occasionally I would post some short articles about life and people from TODAY newspaper, written by the same author of the above book title.
I had borrowed it from the library, among others, about two weeks ago.
The title really caught my attention.
Lots of things don't really make sense at all, especially when we take in account the trials and tribulations each of us had gone through or would eventually have to face in life.
Enough rambling, on with the review.
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Flip to the 'Contents' page and you can see that the titles of each chapter are almost beckoning you to read them slowly with comfort and peace of mind.
Chp 1: When God doesn't make sense
Chp 2: The Betrayal Barrier
Chp 3: God makes sense even when he doesn't make sense
Chp 4: Acceptance or Despair
.
Chp 6: Questions and Answers
.
Chp 8: Faith must be tough
.
Chp 10: More Questions and Answers
Chp 11: Beyond the betrayal barrier (last chapter)
Extracts from the last chapter:
..When you think about it, there is comfort in that approach to life's trials and tribulations. We are relieved from the responsibility of trying to figure them out. We haven't been given enough information to decipher the code. It is enough to acknowledge that God makes sense even when He doesn't make sense.
..There is only one cure for the cancer of bitterness. That is to forgive the perceived offender once and for all, with God's help.
As strange as it seems, I am suggesting that some of us need to forgive God for those heartaches that are charged to His account. You've carried resentment against Him for years. Now it's time to let go of it.
Please don't misunderstand me at this point. God is in the business of forgiving us, and it almost sounds blasphemous to suggest that the relationship can be reversed. He has done no wrong and does not need our approbation.
But the source of bitterness must be admitted before it can be cleansed.
There is no better way to get rid of it than to absolve the Lord of whatever we have harboured, and then ask His forgiveness for our lack of faith.
It's called reconciliation, and it is the only way you will ever be entirely free.
End of review.
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P.S: I have also borrowed a few books about Islam. One of them is written by an ITE lecturer in Singapore and I would recommend it to anyone who would like to have a reasonably good introduction to the teachings of Islam, the religion of Peace.
Reviews of books introducing Islam will be coming up soon. Stay tuned!