Rating: 
Summary: Puts Difficult Items on the Agenda
Review: "Disappointment with Philip Yancey," was my first reaction after finishing this book. I realize he's a well-known Christian author. Perhaps I was expecting too much from a human being. After all, why should he know more than any of us. We're all seeking to learn. It's just that with a title like this, I was expecting some great revelations. In the preface he even dedicates it to "...my brother...who is still disappointed."So Yancey puts the issues on the table, discusses them, but doesn't come up with any conclusive insights. Go back a few centuries and you see Job didn't really have any answers for what he faced. It boils down to God is Sovereign. To us His ways are mysterious. Occasionally Yancey has some threads of encouragement sprinkled in this searcher's work. Take for example, "Saints become saints by somehow hanging on to the stubborn conviction that things are not as they appear, and that the unseen world is as solid and trustworthy, as the visible world around them." I would say the invisible is MORE trustworthy. Scripture teaches that that which is unseen created that which is seen. Yancey's discussion on time is eye-opening. He describes how that as an author he writes a work at a certain time, but it isn't read by his audience until a later point, i.e., a "self contained time zone." Similarly, God is not limited in His actions to time as we know it. That's difficult to comprehend, which makes it a reality beyond our perception. This book will make you think, but will not necessarily provide answers.
Rating: 
Summary: Yancey is probably the best Christian author of our time
Review: And this book "Disappointment with God" is a great read. You have to love an evangelical Christian who would even dare to write a book with a title like this. Christianity MUST BE a "thinking man's faith" and BECAUSE OF THAT, we can't be afraid to ask and answer the hard questions. Elijah Lovejoy, first martyr of the free press, (look up his life story if you don't know this name - he's a fascinating historical figure!) is quoted as saying "Truth has nothing to fear from investigation." Yancey investigates God, Truth and does it in a way that really brings the reader along and opens up dialogues that are a wee bit scary. It also digs deep into the story of Job and explores that whole conundrum in a new light. Lots of food for thought there. The opening story - about the young man burning his religious books - paints an indelible scene in my thought that I will not soon forget. On the down side - I don't think this is Yancey's best work. His number one best book (and my favorite book of the DECADE! ) is: "What's so amazing about Grace." I've given away four copies of that book SO FAR! My number two favorite Yancey book is "The Jesus I Never Knew." Another GREAT book, but not as good as his "Grace" book. "Disappointment with God" is in third place, but any book that makes you think deeply about God, and draw closer to God, is well worth five stars. This book certainly does do that.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Insightful Book
Review: I purchased this book for 2 reasons - I read Yancey's "What's So Amazing About Grace?" and was really changed by it, and because of the title. I was going through a time when that's exactly what I felt: disappointment with God. This book was very helpful in understanding why I was feeling what I was feeling. Where was my disillusionment coming from? Was it because I had unrealistic expectations of the Christian life?
I gave this book 4 stars because I don't completely agree with all of Yancey's conclusions. I also wish there was more practical advice on how to move through this disappointment. But overall, it's a very good book.
Rating:
Summary: Life Changing For Me
Review: I read a lot books, but there have only been a few that I believe God made sure got into my hands so He could speak to me through them. This book is one of the few.
Philip Yancy repeats many times in this book that he does NOT know and understand it all. But his intention is to help some things make at least a little more sense. When I read this book, I was full of anger and bitterness toward God, although I had been a Christian since my teenage years. My problem was that my mind's understanding of God and the things that my belief and faith were rooted in were things that I had heard preached and taught over years about God, but were really not accurate in terms of who God really is, what He is like and how He operates. Therefore, I had unrealistic expectations about Him and that caused me to be "disappointed" with Him over and over again.
This book is not perfect, but I believe that after reading it, my understanding of who God is and how He goes about things is, at the very least, quite a bit more accurate. When you have been taught to believe that God is basically a "sugar daddy" who will give you anything you want and do for you anything you want done... it leads to hurt and disappointment because God will not pretend to be something that He is not just because you were taught that He was. This book helped me to love God just the way He is... and not according to the "genie in a bottle" perception that I had of Him.
I read this book about 4 years ago and I have NOT felt angry, bitter or dissappointed in Him since. It really helped me to love Him for who He is and not because of all the amazing things He can do for me.
(I don't believe it's a coincidence that when I learned to put far greater emphasis on Him and far less emphasis what I wanted Him to do FOR ME... He has done far more me. Including the physical restoration of my hearing, in spite nerve deafness and allowing my wife and I, who had been barren for the first 9 years of our marriage, to have 3 beautiful children since I read this book 4 years ago.)
Not all books speak to all people though. God may not choose to speak to you though this book, the way He chose to use it to speak to me. I gave my brother a copy of this book and it didn't do anything for him. God uses what He wants. But, I do suggest that you read and see if God does speak to you through it.
Rating: 
Summary: I didn't like it
Review: As someone who believes in the sovereignty of God, I was very disappointed with this book. Had I known that Mr. Yancey takes a more human-centered approach to our relationship with God and His dealings with us, I would never have wasted my money buying this.
Rating:
Summary: Puts Difficult Items on the Agenda
Review: "Disappointment with Philip Yancey," was my first reaction after finishing this book. I realize he's a well-known Christian author. Perhaps I was expecting too much from a human being. After all, why should he know more than any of us. We're all seeking to learn. It's just that with a title like this, I was expecting some great revelations. In the preface he even dedicates it to "...my brother...who is still disappointed." So Yancey puts the issues on the table, discusses them, but doesn't come up with any conclusive insights. Go back a few centuries and you see Job didn't really have any answers for what he faced. It boils down to God is Sovereign. To us His ways are mysterious. Occasionally Yancey has some threads of encouragement sprinkled in this searcher's work. Take for example, "Saints become saints by somehow hanging on to the stubborn conviction that things are not as they appear, and that the unseen world is as solid and trustworthy, as the visible world around them." I would say the invisible is MORE trustworthy. Scripture teaches that that which is unseen created that which is seen. Yancey's discussion on time is eye-opening. He describes how that as an author he writes a work at a certain time, but it isn't read by his audience until a later point, i.e., a "self contained time zone." Similarly, God is not limited in His actions to time as we know it. That's difficult to comprehend, which makes it a reality beyond our perception. This book will make you think, but will not necessarily provide answers.
Rating:
Summary: God Answers Job
Review: I found this book very informative. Yancey takes you through the bible and explains God's changing relationship with man. One thing I found interesting is that when God was daily present with man, performed miracles regularly and told man exactly what to do (Exodus), it did little to encourage faith in man. Man was disappointed even then. Yancey talks at length about Job. I always found the book of Job very disturbing. I read Jung's God's Answer to Job and was horrified. Jung made it seem as though God had no clue as to what he was doing, that God is unconscious in a way. That's a pretty scarey thought. I think Yancey was helpful in his discussion of Job. The thing I noticed is that God does answer Job. He just takes his time about it. He makes a personal appearance. The thing that God never does is tell Job why. Why must he suffer? We'll never know in this life. Anyhow, I recommend this book. Its well written and seems to come from a compassionate heart.
Rating:
Summary: One of Kind
Review: Philip Yancey is my favorite author. Period. And in this book he outdoes himself. Yancey writes about difficult issues in a direct, searching, and honest way. Yancey doesn't pretend to have all the answers, which is what makes him and this book such an excellent spiritual guide. A journalist by vocation, Yancey is wonderful at tackling thorny theological issues and writing about them in ways that the ordinary reader can understand. In this particular book Yancey looks at people who have been disappointed in some way by God. Yancey does a great job of outlining what Lutheran theologians call the "The Theology of the Cross" (as opposed to "The Theology of Glory"), although he doesn't use that term himself.
Rating:
Summary: He has been reading my mind
Review: No longer dissappointed with God, all I need to know is that God is still God and His ways are definitely not our ways Thank the Lord! Because if it was up to foolish me I'd have taken away cancer from someone I love and given it to someone else for very selfish reasons. This book has many good points but frankly it's wasn't that helpful to me. I read it but I could put it down... a lot.
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