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Can God Be Trusted?: Finding Faith in Troubled Times
Dr. Williams explores the most common obstacles that prevent people from trusting God, including personal betrayals, unfulfilled expectations, and seemingly unanswered prayers. He then explains what is reasonable to expect from God and offers practical tips for ways to grow in trust.
Williams has becoming a revered voice in the Christian community for his insightful writings on issues that really matter to Christians. In this book, Dr. Williams will help readers understand, not only how to trust God in spite of doubts and confusion, but to truly know God can be trusted.
Williams has becoming a revered voice in the Christian community for his insightful writings on issues that really matter to Christians. In this book, Dr. Williams will help readers understand, not only how to trust God in spite of doubts and confusion, but to truly know God can be trusted.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Thomas D. Williams
26 books8 followersTHOMAS D. WILLIAMS, LC, is dean of the theology school at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University in Rome. He has also worked extensively for Sky News in Britain covering church and ethical issues. For both NBC and Sky News, Williams covered the final illness and death of Pope John Paul II, the 2005 papal conclave, and the election of Pope Benedict XVI. Williams has appeared as analyst on church affairs for CNN, CBS, ABC, and Fox News and now serves as consultant on Vatican affairs for NBC News and MSNBC.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 8, 2010
Can GOD be Trusted? by Thomas D. Williams (Faith Words, Hachette Book Group 2009)
A catchy title is a wonderful beginning for a book. This one is ideal. Don’t we all wonder at one point or another in our lives if God can be trusted?
When I picked this book up and started reading it, I was fascinated by the author – an American priest who is a Vatican analyst for several news organizations. “He must have a lot to say that will be enlightening for me,” I thought. Faith is an important part of my life. I am always anxious to understand new ways of looking at issues that impact our walking around lives, as opposed to theoretical comments that are like shibboleths having no practical application.
Can GOD be Trusted faithfully addresses all of the themes that would be expected to enable readers to reach their own conclusion. I assumed that the author would come to the conclusion that God can be trusted.
Father Williams begins with a framework for his discourse that is thought-provoking:
The one who expects nothing can never be let down. Hope and trust are scary things. We risk betrayal and disappointment. We risk abandonment and disillusion. It is much safer to hope for nothing, desire nothing, aspire to nothing
. . . .
To love is to expose yourself, make yourself vulnerable, give of yourself, set yourself up for a fall.
Isn’t that the essence of belief in God, regardless of the religion or prophet that one follows? Hope, trust, faith, and love.
Following this framework, Father Williams addresses the flaws in self-sufficiency, subtraction theory (if you cannot trust anyone, only God is left), the nature of trust and faith, why trusting is so hard, pride, our feelings that God lets us down or does not hear our prayers, testing, impatience, forgiveness and redemption (e.g.: “When God forgives us, he remakes us. He not only glues us back together; he recasts and reforges us so that we truly made new”), and God as our friend.
This is a remarkably readable and though-provoking exposition of the element of faith. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, this is a joyful read. As I read, I kept pausing and thinking about the words and thoughts.
As the end of the book was in sight, I looked forward to Father Williams grounding his wonderful words and thoughts in a way that would help readers (and me) deal with the walk around world, not the abstractions of spirituality. I hoped for guidance for how to do deal with the questions of life: “my husband has lost his job and we have no savings”; “my mother is dying and she is my best friend”; “I am alone”; “I am guilty and I cannot face up to it”; “I am addicted”; and so on.
In the end, Can GOD be Trusted does address some degree of practicality, described as “spring cleaning” and “God or ‘Flesh’”? The essential message is that one needs to turn to God, and people can fail.
I loved reading Father Williams’ exposition. I wish there were one more chapter to connect the exposition with real life on the street; to bring these wonderfully warm thoughts down to the ground for us walking on the earth people living ordinary lives.. Each of us experiences the emotions Father Williams addresses. We hope, trust, love, and have faith, at least we should. But who do we do it with? We do it with people or pets who can return the emotions. As Father Williams says, when we do so we walk out on a branch which could break, causing us hurt. Isn’t that what God empowers us to do? To have faith to love and be loved, knowing that if we fall we always have His love to pick us up, dust us off, and send us off again. In this, I am reminded of the wonderfully charming story of Punchinello, the wooden boy with a poor paint job told so beautifully by Max Lucado.
I look forward to Father Williams’ sequel, perhaps entitled “Living in God’s Hands.”
A catchy title is a wonderful beginning for a book. This one is ideal. Don’t we all wonder at one point or another in our lives if God can be trusted?
When I picked this book up and started reading it, I was fascinated by the author – an American priest who is a Vatican analyst for several news organizations. “He must have a lot to say that will be enlightening for me,” I thought. Faith is an important part of my life. I am always anxious to understand new ways of looking at issues that impact our walking around lives, as opposed to theoretical comments that are like shibboleths having no practical application.
Can GOD be Trusted faithfully addresses all of the themes that would be expected to enable readers to reach their own conclusion. I assumed that the author would come to the conclusion that God can be trusted.
Father Williams begins with a framework for his discourse that is thought-provoking:
The one who expects nothing can never be let down. Hope and trust are scary things. We risk betrayal and disappointment. We risk abandonment and disillusion. It is much safer to hope for nothing, desire nothing, aspire to nothing
. . . .
To love is to expose yourself, make yourself vulnerable, give of yourself, set yourself up for a fall.
Isn’t that the essence of belief in God, regardless of the religion or prophet that one follows? Hope, trust, faith, and love.
Following this framework, Father Williams addresses the flaws in self-sufficiency, subtraction theory (if you cannot trust anyone, only God is left), the nature of trust and faith, why trusting is so hard, pride, our feelings that God lets us down or does not hear our prayers, testing, impatience, forgiveness and redemption (e.g.: “When God forgives us, he remakes us. He not only glues us back together; he recasts and reforges us so that we truly made new”), and God as our friend.
This is a remarkably readable and though-provoking exposition of the element of faith. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, this is a joyful read. As I read, I kept pausing and thinking about the words and thoughts.
As the end of the book was in sight, I looked forward to Father Williams grounding his wonderful words and thoughts in a way that would help readers (and me) deal with the walk around world, not the abstractions of spirituality. I hoped for guidance for how to do deal with the questions of life: “my husband has lost his job and we have no savings”; “my mother is dying and she is my best friend”; “I am alone”; “I am guilty and I cannot face up to it”; “I am addicted”; and so on.
In the end, Can GOD be Trusted does address some degree of practicality, described as “spring cleaning” and “God or ‘Flesh’”? The essential message is that one needs to turn to God, and people can fail.
I loved reading Father Williams’ exposition. I wish there were one more chapter to connect the exposition with real life on the street; to bring these wonderfully warm thoughts down to the ground for us walking on the earth people living ordinary lives.. Each of us experiences the emotions Father Williams addresses. We hope, trust, love, and have faith, at least we should. But who do we do it with? We do it with people or pets who can return the emotions. As Father Williams says, when we do so we walk out on a branch which could break, causing us hurt. Isn’t that what God empowers us to do? To have faith to love and be loved, knowing that if we fall we always have His love to pick us up, dust us off, and send us off again. In this, I am reminded of the wonderfully charming story of Punchinello, the wooden boy with a poor paint job told so beautifully by Max Lucado.
I look forward to Father Williams’ sequel, perhaps entitled “Living in God’s Hands.”
October 26, 2009
It seems like recently I find myself wondering why certain people feel the need to write a particular book, especially when several variations of essentially in print and have pretty much established some basic principles. While it seems that different people may come to this book than others(possibly as Catholic's), it still does not manage to tread new life into a topic that seems already beaten into the ground.
One of the major reasons this book did not get a lower grade, however, involves his gentleness in approaching a topic that is not cut and dry and made satisfied by simply accepting words and denying feelings. He seeks to truly understand why people can't trust God and does not downplay or mock someone's "lack" of faith simultaneously. There is much time at the beginning that spent time with this understanding and slowly he started adding in his quite conservative tendencies which seemed to provide easy answers(which overall seemed to go against in some respects how well thought-out the initial portion was).
This is certainly a complex issue and I have enjoyed books by others better on this topic, but am thankful some people may be reading this book instead of others which are much more toxic to say the least!
One of the major reasons this book did not get a lower grade, however, involves his gentleness in approaching a topic that is not cut and dry and made satisfied by simply accepting words and denying feelings. He seeks to truly understand why people can't trust God and does not downplay or mock someone's "lack" of faith simultaneously. There is much time at the beginning that spent time with this understanding and slowly he started adding in his quite conservative tendencies which seemed to provide easy answers(which overall seemed to go against in some respects how well thought-out the initial portion was).
This is certainly a complex issue and I have enjoyed books by others better on this topic, but am thankful some people may be reading this book instead of others which are much more toxic to say the least!
November 30, 2009
Can God Be Trusted? deals with the question of whether or not we can trust God in today's troubled times. Father Williams discusses several reasons why people don't trust God today based on a survey he took. He gives us real life answers from real people who are facing many of the same issues we face today. He backs up his recommendations and suggestions with scripture verses.
Father Williams discusses the five obstacles we face in trusting God. These obstacles are our education, our wealth, our social networks, our self-ingenuity, and our ideologies. When he speaks to us through his book, he speaks to the layperson, not to a seminary student so the book is easy to understand and to follow.
I really enjoyed the chapter on whether or not sinners could trust God. He speaks about being let down by God and about feeling abandonned which is something I can relate to many days. I like the way that he explained that the devil is using this feeling to make us feel unworthy. I really like the statement "Sometimes we walk or even run away from God, yet all we need to do is turn around to find that he is still right there with us. We left him, but he refuses to leave us."
I recommend this book if your faith is faltering because of the troubled times we're in today. It's very comforting.
Father Williams discusses the five obstacles we face in trusting God. These obstacles are our education, our wealth, our social networks, our self-ingenuity, and our ideologies. When he speaks to us through his book, he speaks to the layperson, not to a seminary student so the book is easy to understand and to follow.
I really enjoyed the chapter on whether or not sinners could trust God. He speaks about being let down by God and about feeling abandonned which is something I can relate to many days. I like the way that he explained that the devil is using this feeling to make us feel unworthy. I really like the statement "Sometimes we walk or even run away from God, yet all we need to do is turn around to find that he is still right there with us. We left him, but he refuses to leave us."
I recommend this book if your faith is faltering because of the troubled times we're in today. It's very comforting.
March 25, 2010
If you are wanting to know how to deepen your trust in God or wanting to know how to trust in God, this book will provide you with many key points to roll over in your mind.
The author provided me with other ways of thinking about God and what he promised to all of us. I really appreciated the chapters that caused me to look what I am "expecting" from God, as well as the chapters that reminded me of what GOD does promise me and how he delivers.
The author provided me with other ways of thinking about God and what he promised to all of us. I really appreciated the chapters that caused me to look what I am "expecting" from God, as well as the chapters that reminded me of what GOD does promise me and how he delivers.
November 10, 2009
This is one of the best books I have read, not only for myself, but to encourage and read with others. The writing is clear and easy to understand for those with little church background, yet challenges and encourages the most experienced believer. In describing the different areas of trust it is clear both why we must trust God, and how to trust God. Highly recommend!
November 15, 2009
This is a really good book. If you have had trust issues of any kind then you should read this. The author talks about why distrust is a problem and why trust is important. Then he talks about why God should be trusted and how you can learn to trust god.
Everyone could do better at that it seems. Especially me.
Everyone could do better at that it seems. Especially me.
November 16, 2009
Father Williams is a priest and a Vatican analyst. In this book, he talks about the reasons that some people don't trust God because of several different reasons. This book has the potential to help those without faith begin a relationship with God.
I think this book will be most helpful to believers who are questioning the ways of the world.
I think this book will be most helpful to believers who are questioning the ways of the world.
February 2, 2022
I loved the title of this book and put it on the top of my reading pile. The book drew me in with its down-t0-earth discussion of our human experience that so often presents contradictions and disappointments to our faith-based expectations. What do we do when our prayers seem unheard, when our troubles seem unrelenting, when injustice in the world overwhelms us? --Can God be trusted??
The answers that satisfy Fr. Williams, the writer, do not satisfy me. I agree with the case he makes in several chapters that the life of faith is more satisfying, and that civilization rooted in faith is the key to human rights and prosperity. I was inspired by many of the human dramas and writings he shared, and believe that something of the answer I am looking for is found in these. Fr. Williams uses examples of faith prevailing, and then goes on to conclude the book with lessons on how to build this enduring faith. 1) Act as if you have faith, and faith will grow in you. 2) Pray for God to infuse you with trust, and send up prayers of trust. Pray with the Psalms as a model. (paraphrased from p. 197)
In short, from my perspective Fr. Williams is answering a slightly different question. Not "Can God Be Trusted," but "Can YOU Trust God." His book makes the case for the benefits of trusting God and provides lessons in how to venture/ risk trust and fortify it. For all these uplifting lessons, the book is a good read. For the alienated or secular skeptic, however; I think Fr. Williams has not provided a satisfying answer. Perhaps this answer cannot be written, but must be discovered.
The answers that satisfy Fr. Williams, the writer, do not satisfy me. I agree with the case he makes in several chapters that the life of faith is more satisfying, and that civilization rooted in faith is the key to human rights and prosperity. I was inspired by many of the human dramas and writings he shared, and believe that something of the answer I am looking for is found in these. Fr. Williams uses examples of faith prevailing, and then goes on to conclude the book with lessons on how to build this enduring faith. 1) Act as if you have faith, and faith will grow in you. 2) Pray for God to infuse you with trust, and send up prayers of trust. Pray with the Psalms as a model. (paraphrased from p. 197)
In short, from my perspective Fr. Williams is answering a slightly different question. Not "Can God Be Trusted," but "Can YOU Trust God." His book makes the case for the benefits of trusting God and provides lessons in how to venture/ risk trust and fortify it. For all these uplifting lessons, the book is a good read. For the alienated or secular skeptic, however; I think Fr. Williams has not provided a satisfying answer. Perhaps this answer cannot be written, but must be discovered.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews