He was healthy and in prime physical condition. He had abundant energy and led a very productive life. But then, Paul David Tripp, world-renown pastor, author, and speaker became very ill and almost died. He survived, but his illness has caused him great physical suffering and it’s expected he will live with this debilitating illness for the rest of his days. As a result of this experience, Tripp wrote a book, Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.

Book Teaching Points

• During intense pain and disappointment, Paul Tripp did not run away from God nor did he let his heart question His goodness; but he did come to realize what he had been trusting in without knowing it. Reading his confession about his misplaced trust can lead you to face the same reality regarding where your true trust lies.
• Paul Tripp explains how common it is for Christians, himself included, to enter suffering with good theology, but with unrealistic expectations and/or faulty interpretations. When you read this book about suffering; or think about times you have suffered; or find yourself fearing future suffering; you may discover the same is true for you.
• Tripp provides examples of counseling fellow sufferers to show that the way one suffers has everything to do with how one suffers. Suffering is never just about what you are suffering. There’s always a battle going on in your thoughts and feelings – a place where temptation can ignite a spiritual war inside of you that radically impacts your responses to sufferings and tries to replace your identity. As you read this book, you will discover how to take your proper place in this spiritual war so that suffering won’t leave you spiritually compromised.
• Using his strong gift of teaching, Tripp explains what envy and discouragement do to your motivation; distinguishes between healthy and unhealthy doubt; reveals what your private conversation is doing to your experience of suffering; and describes how what you’re believing about God impacts how you’re feeling. And when it comes to the Jesus-response you hear to everything and Bible verses that are so commonly misused, he clearly points out all the answers to the questions you’ve had for so long. These detailed explanations will help you examine your heart so that you can persevere through any suffering.

Using The Book

• While you’ll be able to connect emotionally with this book, Paul Tripp doesn’t make his story or the stories of others the center of it; rather, each chapter is built upon the Truth of God for the benefit of the reader.
• This book isn’t a quick read because there’s so much robust, interesting, and necessary teaching to absorb. Plus, at the end of each chapter are questions and more passages to study.
• This would be a wise purchase for any Christian who doesn’t yet know how to thrive in suffering, and could also be a helpful book to use with a book club or in a small group to remain on a productive path when it comes to the topic of suffering.
• Highly recommended to all believers who want to prepare to suffer well or who want to endure suffering better.