When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent E-Book

Ligon Duncan

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 55

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

"In the midst of our suffering we need a wake-up call to the truth that God's steadfast love never ceases." —Dave Furman, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Church of Dubai; author, Being There and Kiss the Wave Are you feeling despondent, depressed, or discouraged? When we encounter severe trials and suffering, we are often tempted to think that our situation is somehow out of God's hands. In these dark times, God seems silent, and we feel isolated, confused, and alone. Everyone experiences suffering; even the biblical writers expressed anguish at times. This emotion is clearly captured in the Psalms. Through these brief meditations on Psalms 88 and 89, Ligon Duncan shows us how to respond to our own suffering with the assurance of our heavenly Father's mercy, which sustains us even in the darkest circumstances.

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“The Bible is strikingly candid about human suffering, including the vexing reality that God’s own people suffer—and often suffer excruciatingly and lastingly. Where do we find help? Ligon Duncan, one of the most faithful Christian teachers of our time, takes us deeply into the Psalms in a book that will be of great encouragement to all believers. I am so thankful for Ligon Duncan’s devotion to God’s word and the care of souls. Read this book, and you will understand why.”

R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Here is a book that is short enough for the person who is gripped by suffering to actually read and yet rich enough to meet that individual’s need for perspective and hope in the darkest of times.”

Nancy Guthrie, Bible teacher; author, Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow

“Ligon Duncan shows us beautifully how, even in our deepest despair, we can have hope in God. We can run to him because he cares and understands. Through this book, Duncan continually lifts our gaze and reminds us that no matter our circumstances, our great God is sympathetic, sovereign, and sufficient. Read this book for yourself, or make it a gift to those struggling in their suffering. Here’s the truth: You are not alone. The Lord knows, and he hears.”

Greg Gilbert, Senior Pastor, Third Avenue Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky

“Don’t let the brevity of this book fool you. It is packed with wisdom. Ligon Duncan’s insights from Psalms 88 and 89 are simple and fresh yet at the same time moving and profound. When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent greatly encouraged me in my own suffering. I’d recommend it to anyone who has felt confused, isolated, or forgotten in their pain and who longs for a hope that endures.”

Vaneetha Rendall Risner, author, The Scars That Have Shaped Me: How God Meets Us in Suffering

“In the midst of our suffering we need a wake-up call to the truth that God’s steadfast love never ceases. The Psalms are a gentle and real reminder that even in the hardest moments, God is there. Ligon Duncan offers a wonderful companion to two of the most honest psalms in the Bible. He helps us marvel at the beauty and wonder of our God as he is described in these psalms. We’re reminded that our hope can be found only in God. Get out your Bible, read Psalms 88 and 89, and then read this short book. Your heart will be comforted by these truths.”

Dave Furman, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Church of Dubai; author, Being There and Kiss the Wave

“With pastoral care and theological precision, Ligon Duncan guides us through Psalms 88 and 89 to help us better understand suffering. When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent is an honest assessment of life in a fallen world with the hope we have in Christ. In this short and accessible book, Duncan steers clear of trite phrases and clichés and instead provides solid truth that will actually sustain us in trials.”

Trillia Newbell, author, Sacred Endurance; If God Is for Us; and Fear and Faith

“Psalms of lament are missing in the church and in most believers’ prayers. Ligon Duncan helps us recover this historic language in his careful and thoughtful examination of these two important psalms. Overflowing with pastoral instinct, rich exposition, and helpful application, this short book on Psalms 88 and 89 is long overdue.”

Mark Vroegop, Lead Pastor, College Park Church, Indianapolis; author, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament

When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent

When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent

Finding Hope in the Psalms

Ligon Duncan

Foreword by Mark Dever

When Pain Is Real and God Seems Silent: Finding Hope in the Psalms

Copyright © 2020 by Ligon Duncan

Published by Crossway1300 Crescent StreetWheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Dan Farrell

Cover image: Lithograph by Étienne Léopold Trouvelot

First printing 2020

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are from The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-6905-0 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-6908-1 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-6906-7 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-6907-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Duncan, J. Ligon, 1960– author. | Dever, Mark.

Title: When pain is real and God seems silent : finding hope in the Psalms / J. Ligon Duncan ; foreword by Mark Dever.

Description: Wheaton, Illinois : Crossway, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019029589 (print) | LCCN 2019029590 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433569050 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433569067 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433569074 (mobi) | ISBN 9781433569081 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Psalms, LXXXVIII–LXXXIX—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Suffering—Biblical teaching. | Pain—Biblical teaching.

Classification: LCC BS1430.6.S8 D86 2020 (print) | LCC BS1430.6.S8 (ebook) | DDC 223/.206—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019029589

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019029590

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

2020-03-03 09:28:00 AM

Contents

Foreword

Mark Dever

 1  Psalm 88

 2  Psalm 89

Notes

General Index

Scripture Index

Foreword

In 1895 Andrew Murray was staying as a guest in a home while traveling for preaching. One morning, he lay in bed because his back, injured a few years prior, was causing him severe pain. When his hostess brought him breakfast, she told him that a troubled woman had come to the house asking for his counsel. Murray handed her a piece of paper and said, “Just give her this advice I’m writing down for myself; it may be that she’ll find it helpful.” This is what was written: