My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Background
This 106-page book is packed with power and encouragement. If you do not know the full story about Elisabeth Elliot, I would highly recommend some of her other works including Through Gates of Splendor which would provide more context to how she can speak so boldly about suffering, but this book does provide some snippets of her life story which may intrigue you to read further.
This book is a compilation of messages given by Elliot at a conference, and these messages have been transcribed from CDs received by the publisher.
Overview
Elisabeth Elliot beautifully weaves what scripture says about suffering into her own life experiences and the accounts of others in history to present readers with an understanding of how personal suffering relates to God's eternal purposes in our lives. She does this through six succinct chapters (messages) each working through how to see our suffering rightly. I think Elliot really tackles the meat of the dilemma starting in chapter four, so I will focus most of my attention there; however, the entire book is rich, and I gave it 5 stars for a reason!
Chapter 1
Elliot begins this collection by attempting to define suffering, and her definition of suffering then guides us through the remainder of the book. So this is how she defines suffering: "Suffering is having what you don't want or wanting what you don't have." Pretty simple, but very profound. Elliot then spends some time in this chapter, and going forward as we'll see, to try to get at why then this suffering exists even, or especially, as Christians.
Chapter 2
This chapter really aims to show us that we must have faith in Christ and trust God even in the midst of suffering and unanswered "whys". She walks through the story of Job as an example of a righteous person suffering without many answers, and even when he is provided a response form God he is just met with more questions! God tells us over and over in the Bible to trust him; to know that he is working all things for our eternal good and His glory. Elliot emphasizes this through multiple scripture references and personal stories of times where she struggled through unanswered whys and returning to trusting in the Lord.
Chapter 3
Curtailing off the sentiments of chapter three, we are told that we must accept suffering through faith. And this acceptance through faith is not passive but a "willed obedience action." We must pray for God's will to be done and not our own even through suffering. Elliot says that this of course can come through answered prayers for healing or help, but we also must be willing to accept "no" for an answer and trust that God has bigger plans than we can understand. We have to see the joy alongside the pain.
Chapter 4
I believe this chapter to be incredibly convicting. We see Elliot focus attention here on gratitude and how our perspective and posture towards God in suffering is so important. One of my favorite and most convicting quotes comes from this chapter: "if they were arrested for being Christians, would there be sufficient evidence to convict them?" She posits that gratitude should be a main distinguisher of Christians from the world. We should show gratitude to God in all circumstances because "He gives us everything that is appropriate to the job that He wants us to do."
Elliot uses the example of the Auca Indian tribe she was a missionary to for their lack of complaining even in very difficult jungle conditions and less than ideal lifestyle. She connects this gratitude in the midst of difficulties back to the original definition of suffering by pointing out that this mindset of saying "Thank you, Lord" even when you have what you don't want or want what you don't have.
She also uses several examples from scripture in this chapter to point out how it is often in times of trouble or affliction when Jesus is able to show up for us. She sums this up at the end of the chapter by saying, "[Gratitude} prepares the way. It is in these very situations which are so painful - having what you don't want, wanting with all your heart something that you don't have - that thanksgiving can prepare the way for God to show us His Salvation."
Chapter 5
Once we see the importance of showing gratitude and finding acceptance in suffering, we should then offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We should now be able to rightly see everything as a gift from God, and if all of it is from him, then we should offer it all back to him (like we do with our monetary tithing). Elliot uses many examples from scripture and in life about people who had little or who saw their suffering and struggle as an offering back to the Lord - to trust in Him in the midst of that suffering.
Chapter 6
I love that Elliot starts this final message talking about Fanny Crosby. She says of this hymn-writing woman, "I think Fanny Crosby...had begun to glimpse the fact that there was more joy in giving than receiving. And she was broken bread and poured out wine for the life of the world." Elliot shows a logical progression from gratitude to acceptance to offering (as mentioned above) to then transfiguration - these changes of perspective and understanding will lead to a transformation in your life.
One of the ways that she connects transfiguration to suffering is through this fantastic quote: "The first principle is that of the cross: Life comes out of death. I bring God my sorrows and He gives me His joy. I bring Him my losses and He gives me His gains. I bring Him my sins, He gives me His righteousness. I bring Him my deaths and He gives me His life. But the only reason God can give me His life is because He gave me His death."
Final Review
All in all, this book gives incredible encouragement to persevere in the face of trials and suffering. Elisabeth Elliot's testimony on its own speaks to God's greater purposes in suffering, but hearing her point to scripture and to others' experiences gives an even stronger testimony. I am not the best at seeing the glass half full or being willing to see all of life's joys alongside the pain, but this book was convicting to me that I MUST take a new perspective in the face of my suffering. I have to have full faith in Christ that he has already suffered for us on our behalf so that I may live a life of joy (even though we will still experience worldly struggles). It may not be until we see Jesus face to face someday that we truly understand the ins and outs of earthly suffering, but Suffering is Never for Nothing provides some great explanations as to how and why we suffer.
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