Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT!
Review: This is THE most influential book I've ever read dealing with a subject that the religious experts have wrestled with in every age since the dawn of man. How do you deal with pain, suffering, and/or death? Why does God allow it? Why did He invent pain in the first place? These and other related questions are the hardest to answer when our non-christian friends and relatives start asking them, especially when they are suffering a painful devistating illness themselves. I was given this book at 17 years of age by an unknown saint who slipped it into my hospital room when I was going through the difficulties of a kidney transplant. My anger and bitterness toward God would surly have destroyed me had I allowed it to fester by setting this precious book aside. Thank God I didn't. I read it and my faith and love for Christ greatly increased instead of weakening. I have seen too many suffering patients take the angry, bitter road to destruction. Because of my experience with the book, I now give it out to my patients freely when they are faced with devastating pain or life threatening illness(es). I have found this book extremely valuable in opening up a hardened and locked down heart to Christ. The one who suffers can not understand why a loving, merciful creator would allow him or her to go through such suffering, or why He would allow the suffering of a close friend or relative. This book explores the issues head on with an eyes-wide-open approach to why pain exists in the first place and how we should deal with it. It is both scientific and spiritual. In my opinion, no other book short of the Bible has helped my walk with Christ as much!
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't answer "Why," but still helpful
Review: What frustrated me was that Philip Yancy didn't even even try to answer the question "Why does God allow suffering?" Maybe there is no answer that we can discern, but we can try. At least he helps us find meaning in our suffering, which is definitely a step in the right direction. He also explains the value of physical pain--he probably could have extended the analogy to psychological pain; if we didn't feel psychological pain, we would just go about doing whatever we felt like to other people without thought of the consequences.
I also appreciated the detail Mr. Yancy went into to discuss how people can approach those in pain, realizing there is no one right way, but there are certainly wrong ways! God does not send us pain because we are "bad," or to send judgement on us! I would definitely recommend this book for someone in pain, particularly physical pain, such as cancer or a chronic illness, as well as to their loved ones.
Rating:
Summary: This book will change your life
Review: What frustrated me was that Philip Yancy didn't even even try to answer the question "Why does God allow suffering?" Maybe there is no answer that we can discern, but we can try. At least he helps us find meaning in our suffering, which is definitely a step in the right direction. He also explains the value of physical pain--he probably could have extended the analogy to psychological pain; if we didn't feel psychological pain, we would just go about doing whatever we felt like to other people without thought of the consequences.
I also appreciated the detail Mr. Yancy went into to discuss how people can approach those in pain, realizing there is no one right way, but there are certainly wrong ways! God does not send us pain because we are "bad," or to send judgement on us! I would definitely recommend this book for someone in pain, particularly physical pain, such as cancer or a chronic illness, as well as to their loved ones.
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