What do you think?
Rate this book
What's So Amazing About Grace/Where is God When It Hurts
Award-winning author Philip Yancey takes you for a soul-searching look at two of Christianity’s most important topics
WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE? In this critically acclaimed, bestselling book, Philip Yancey explores the church’s great distinctive—grace—at street level. If grace is God’s love for the undeserving, and if Christians are its sole dispensers, then how are we doing at lavishing grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy? Offering compelling, true portraits of grace’s life-changing power, Yancey searches for its presence in his own life and in the church. And he challenges us to become living answers to a world that desperately wants to know, What’s So Amazing About Grace?
WHERE IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS? If there is a loving God, then why is it that … ? You’ve heard that question, perhaps asked it yourself. No matter how you complete it, at its root lies the issue of pain. In this award-winning book, Philip Yancey reveals a God who is neither capricious nor unconcerned. Using examples from the Bible and from his own experiences, Yancey looks at pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual—and helps us understand why we suffer. Where Is God When It Hurts? will speak to those for whom life sometimes just doesn’t make sense. And it will help equip anyone who wants to reach out to someone in pain but doesn’t know what to say.
WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT GRACE? In this critically acclaimed, bestselling book, Philip Yancey explores the church’s great distinctive—grace—at street level. If grace is God’s love for the undeserving, and if Christians are its sole dispensers, then how are we doing at lavishing grace on a world that knows far more of cruelty and unforgiveness than it does of mercy? Offering compelling, true portraits of grace’s life-changing power, Yancey searches for its presence in his own life and in the church. And he challenges us to become living answers to a world that desperately wants to know, What’s So Amazing About Grace?
WHERE IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS? If there is a loving God, then why is it that … ? You’ve heard that question, perhaps asked it yourself. No matter how you complete it, at its root lies the issue of pain. In this award-winning book, Philip Yancey reveals a God who is neither capricious nor unconcerned. Using examples from the Bible and from his own experiences, Yancey looks at pain—physical, emotional, and spiritual—and helps us understand why we suffer. Where Is God When It Hurts? will speak to those for whom life sometimes just doesn’t make sense. And it will help equip anyone who wants to reach out to someone in pain but doesn’t know what to say.
539 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2008
171 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Philip Yancey
299 books2,397 followersA native of Atlanta, Georgia, Philip Yancey earned graduate degrees in Communications and English from Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of Chicago. He joined the staff of Campus Life Magazine in 1971, and worked there as Editor and then Publisher. He looks on those years with gratitude, because teenagers are demanding readers, and writing for them taught him a lasting principle: The reader is in control!
In 1978 Philip Yancey became a full-time writer, initially working as a journalist for such varied publications as Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, National Wildlife, Christian Century and The Reformed Journal. For several years he contributed a monthly column to Christianity Today magazine, where he also served as Editor at Large.
In 2021 Philip released two new books: A Companion in Crisis and his long-awaited memoir, Where the Light Fell. Other favorites included in his more than twenty-five titles are: Where Is God When It Hurts, The Student Bible, and Disappointment with God. Philip's books have won thirteen Gold Medallion Awards from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, have sold more than seventeen million copies, and have been published in over 50 languages. Christian bookstore managers selected The Jesus I Never Knew as the 1996 Book of the Year, and in 1998 What’s So Amazing About Grace? won the same award. His other recent books are Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image; Vanishing Grace: Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World; The Question that Never Goes Away; What Good Is God?; Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?; Soul Survivor; and Reaching for the Invisible God. In 2009 a daily reader was published, compiled from excerpts of his work: Grace Notes.
The Yanceys lived in downtown Chicago for many years before moving to a very different environment in Colorado. Together they enjoy mountain climbing, skiing, hiking, and all the other delights of the Rocky Mountains.
Visit Philip online:
https://www.philipyancey.com
https://www.facebook.com/PhilipYancey
Catch his monthly blog:
https://bit.ly/PhilipYanceyBlog
In 1978 Philip Yancey became a full-time writer, initially working as a journalist for such varied publications as Reader’s Digest, Publisher’s Weekly, National Wildlife, Christian Century and The Reformed Journal. For several years he contributed a monthly column to Christianity Today magazine, where he also served as Editor at Large.
In 2021 Philip released two new books: A Companion in Crisis and his long-awaited memoir, Where the Light Fell. Other favorites included in his more than twenty-five titles are: Where Is God When It Hurts, The Student Bible, and Disappointment with God. Philip's books have won thirteen Gold Medallion Awards from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, have sold more than seventeen million copies, and have been published in over 50 languages. Christian bookstore managers selected The Jesus I Never Knew as the 1996 Book of the Year, and in 1998 What’s So Amazing About Grace? won the same award. His other recent books are Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image; Vanishing Grace: Bringing Good News to a Deeply Divided World; The Question that Never Goes Away; What Good Is God?; Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?; Soul Survivor; and Reaching for the Invisible God. In 2009 a daily reader was published, compiled from excerpts of his work: Grace Notes.
The Yanceys lived in downtown Chicago for many years before moving to a very different environment in Colorado. Together they enjoy mountain climbing, skiing, hiking, and all the other delights of the Rocky Mountains.
Visit Philip online:
https://www.philipyancey.com
https://www.facebook.com/PhilipYancey
Catch his monthly blog:
https://bit.ly/PhilipYanceyBlog
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Currently reading
April 24, 2012A quote from the book that I liked:
"....Grace: a gift that costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient."
"....Grace: a gift that costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient."
July 15, 2011
Yancey doesn't oversimplify difficult questions regarding the existence of pain and uncertainty and why they exist. He delves into the complexities of pain and God's grace, giving the reader hard-hitting examples of people who have dealt with excruciating circumstances. The second book speaks more about physical pain than emotional pain, though he closely links the two. I enjoyed his compassionate approach to tough questions. He doesn't dismiss the reader or other people who question life's difficulties.
February 17, 2012
'Where is God When it Hurts' really helped me to understand pain and suffering. Fantastic book which helps to answer a lot of common questions, and proves that you're not alone.
'What's so Amazing About Grace?' is just wonderful, it's thought provoking and well written, and...it's FULL - it addresses so many topics, and covers them all brilliantly.
So glad that I read these two books, and the dual book combination makes for a fantastic read.
'What's so Amazing About Grace?' is just wonderful, it's thought provoking and well written, and...it's FULL - it addresses so many topics, and covers them all brilliantly.
So glad that I read these two books, and the dual book combination makes for a fantastic read.
November 30, 2011
great book
makes grace real
don't read it if you don't want to be moved and change your ideas about your role on this earth
makes grace real
don't read it if you don't want to be moved and change your ideas about your role on this earth
March 1, 2023
This is my second time reading this book and it felt like a first read all over again.
Philip Yancey breaks down the meaning of God's grace and love in the world of today. No Caps. With examples of personalities and situations that are living a graceful life.
He reiterates the pure message of the christian life - To love your neighbor as God as loved you. Inspite of political differences, cultural differences, race, sexual orientation. The world can only know God through the pure acts of love and no acts of judgement.
Highly recommended for those doubting the efficacy of religious movements.
Philip Yancey breaks down the meaning of God's grace and love in the world of today. No Caps. With examples of personalities and situations that are living a graceful life.
He reiterates the pure message of the christian life - To love your neighbor as God as loved you. Inspite of political differences, cultural differences, race, sexual orientation. The world can only know God through the pure acts of love and no acts of judgement.
Highly recommended for those doubting the efficacy of religious movements.
May 17, 2023
I loved this book! It taught me a lot as grace is a concept that I have really struggled with in my life and do continue to struggle with! This book has helped me a lot to understand the concept of grace and just how amazing it is. I am definitely going to do a Bible study on this book as I want to understand God's amazing grace for me on a deeper level!
December 7, 2022
Philip Yancey tells a great story. Easy read with fantastic stories to teach about grace. Stretches your concept of grace and motivates to be a catalyst for change through grace. I couldn’t put it down.
Read
April 19, 2022Just about to read this book. I need to know about my Lord and soviour, Jesus Christ😃😃😃😃
June 4, 2019
I read 'Where is God When it Hurts?' I always hear the same argument against God: "How can there be a God that allows the massacre of children, disease that takes the lives of the innocent, and megalomaniac dictators who commit genocide?" And Yancey provides an intelligent, faith-based answer. In short, he argues, there is no really satisfying apologetic to why evil and pain exist in our world. Instead, Yancey's thesis circles back to the Passion of Jesus, the belief that God himself came among us, felt our pain, suffered greatly and died. And Yancey's prescription focuses on hope, hope that pain and suffering can be redemptive and that we all will eventually experience the Easter story, the resurrection to a glorified eternal life.
I love Philip Yancey's writing style. He is clear, succinct, and illustrative. For each point he makes he provides living examples of people with whom the reader can identify. Yancey, too, is a devoted Christian, but he doesn't push a conservative, traditionalist point of view. He is progressive and real, easy-to-grasp and down-to-earth. And the reader need not be a person of faith. His writing is accessible to all.
Yancey gives the best answer to the problem of pain that I have read so far. Yet his answer is at times elusive. I cannot imagine trying to explain Yancey's argument to a parent who lost a child or a spouse their partner. I cannot imagine speaking Yancey's apologetic to a war veteran who witnessed the unimaginable deaths of the innocent. But that's me.
This is a worthwhile read, one I would recommend to all people who ask the question the title begs.
I love Philip Yancey's writing style. He is clear, succinct, and illustrative. For each point he makes he provides living examples of people with whom the reader can identify. Yancey, too, is a devoted Christian, but he doesn't push a conservative, traditionalist point of view. He is progressive and real, easy-to-grasp and down-to-earth. And the reader need not be a person of faith. His writing is accessible to all.
Yancey gives the best answer to the problem of pain that I have read so far. Yet his answer is at times elusive. I cannot imagine trying to explain Yancey's argument to a parent who lost a child or a spouse their partner. I cannot imagine speaking Yancey's apologetic to a war veteran who witnessed the unimaginable deaths of the innocent. But that's me.
This is a worthwhile read, one I would recommend to all people who ask the question the title begs.
Read
August 16, 2012This book made me think about our Christian culture and re-examine how we are perceived by outsiders. I'm so grateful for the cross, but need to remember to give grace to others in my everyday relationships. Our influence in politics was a key part of this book, and it made me think about what is really important in being salt and light to this world.
December 2, 2013
Really captivating and changes your mindset totally about God's love and how we as Christians should react during pain. Yancey gave a deep explanation of pain and how we need to see it. I enjoyed the Job part a lot.
July 30, 2015
Great thought-provoking read
I enjoyed these books immensely. This author stimulates the thought processes and truly investigates deeper spiritual meanings instead of just settling for "familiar, pat answers."
I enjoyed these books immensely. This author stimulates the thought processes and truly investigates deeper spiritual meanings instead of just settling for "familiar, pat answers."
Currently reading
June 26, 2011So far this book has been a salve to me!
January 21, 2012
This is the book my Sunday School class is reading. It is one of the most powerful, life changing books I have read.
November 23, 2012
Gives great insight to who God is and what He is doing. A great read.
April 26, 2016
Grace!!
Yancey's words on grace cut straight to the heart. As a Christian, I need to apply these thoughts in my daily walk.
Yancey's words on grace cut straight to the heart. As a Christian, I need to apply these thoughts in my daily walk.
May 26, 2013
Very political, almost a handbook of ungrace and how to judge others in the church
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews