Doing What We Can While We Wait for God–and Joy
Over the years I have read of many people, pastors, leaders, and others who are well-known tell of the dark times they have experienced. Some of these were people had great success in their life, and others are not so well known.
John Piper gives many references to the experience and confessions of people you would not think suffered from spiritual depression, satanic attacks, physical sickness, etc.
He mentions Charles Hadden Spurgeon, Winston Churchill, and Charles Stanley who had a “dark night of the soul” and tells of his experience, in the “Trap of Discouragement.” Many will be able to gain victory over the darkness by God’s word and His help.
Piper gives a vast number of references for the reader to research and read. An example of this is the recorded references for authors on page 22. I found the section “The Place of Meditation in the Fight for Joy” interesting and helpful.
This little book contains a wealth of information from other books which he has written. He has authored 50 books including Desiring God, Don’t Waste Your Life, Does God Desire All to Be Saved?
We all have times of discouragement and depression, and many people live through an extended period. Piper’s discussion on what Christ has done for us gives hope for deliverance from severe depression.
I recommend this book and I know that you will be encouraged realizing many great servants of the Lord found answers to discouragement when the heavens seem silent.
Gil Killam—gilkillam@shaw.ca
Author: John Piper, founder and Chancellor of Bethlehem College Seminary. Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis for 33 years. Piper writes a short devotional which I enjoy very much entitled “Solid Joys.” He is a strong proponent of “Sola Fide, justification by faith alone.”
Publisher: Crossway (crossway.org) Paperback; $4.99 – $5.97, also sold as digital copies. Available on Amazon. 80 pages long.
