When Crossway first announced the release of “Resurrection Life in a World of Suffering”, I knew that I wanted to read it. I’m grateful to have received a review copy from Crossway, for the purpose of reading and reviewing.
Suffering, the role it plays in the world and the responsibility that we, as Christ-followers, have in sharing hope in the face of such unthinkable and unfathomable suffering, is something that has always baffled me. I – as almost every person on the face of this planet – have experienced intense suffering. Suffering and grief have, at times, led me to doubting the very existence of God. But suffering and grief, at other times, have drilled home the truth to my soul, that we can not find hope apart from God’s sovereignty. He is our only hope. But how do we reconcile the suffering of innocent people with the hope we claim to find in the resurrection narrative?
Most often, when suffering slams into my world or into the world of someone who I care for, I run straight for the Psalms – both those of comfort…and, those of lament. The psalmist seem to have words, when I have none – words that express the pain and the “reaching” for answers and, at times, the unsettled acceptance that often we will not know the “Why?” behind what we read, hear or experience – apart from the truth that God sees, knows, and acts.
But it wasn’t until I attended The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference in 2016 where, among thousand of women, we dug into the words found in 1 Peter, that I considered this book as another resource when mired in suffering. The interesting difference, is that the Psalms were written looking toward the coming of Christ and his death and resurrection. 1 Peter was written after those events – and, in the wake of persecution.
This book was borne out of that conference. Five different authors and preachers were assigned a portion of 1 Peter, to expound upon and explain to readers. I particularly liked that style – each person approached his or her passage with their own unique mannerisms and insights – that made for fascinating reading. But even with the differences, each writer stayed straight-arrow-true to scripture, in their teaching and interpretation. No one strayed from what was found among the words of 1st Peter. That is always a very reassuring thing to find, in Bible Studies…and sadly, sometimes, a rarity as well.
At the end of each chapter, the author of that chapter “answered” a few questions about how they personally worked through the passage as they studied and prepared to write. They gave suggestions for those who may someday teach on that passage – a very helpful feature. A couple of times, the writers admitted that they truly struggled through a section – and, too, was very reassuring to hear: if these very experienced, theologically trained authors, teachers and preachers struggle at times with understanding a portion of scripture – then I shouldn’t let my struggles prevent me from continuing to study faithfully.
I think this volume is gold, for anyone who looks at or experiences suffering, and finds it bewildering and overwhelming. It is a great resource for those who minister to people in their circles who are suffering – not so those who minister can give “easy” answers, but to solidify themselves in the hope that is found in the resurrection life, so that they may be better able to point all who suffer to the only one who is the source of that hope.
But I would also say that it is a great resource for anyone studying scripture – whether it is 1 Peter, or another passage. Watching/reading each writer work their way through their assigned passage, was tremendously encouraging to me in my own biblical studies. Well worth the time to read, and something I will return to again.
