Suffering often causes deep spiritual agony. You might be left thinking, âWhere is God? Why is he allowing this? Why doesnât he do something?â And then guilt whispers to your soul, âAm I allowed to say these things? Shouldnât I trust God without hesitation? Am I just a faithless Christian?â
This honest, warm and personal book shows us that we donât need to wrap up our stories of suffering with lessons and silver linings or suppress our pain. Being honest with God, and with others, about our heartache is not only âallowedâ but encouraged in the Scriptures. In fact, lament is authorized by God as an act of worship.
Weaving in his own story of pain and loss with biblical reflections, Clint Watkins shows us how lament is permitted by Jesus, shaped by Scripture, fueled by grace, and filled with hope. And when we lament as communities through worship and testimony, we minister hope to a hurting world.
Learn how to pray without pretending by sharing your hurts with God. As you draw near to the Father, experience genuine hope and joy amid grief and pain.
A great gift for Christians who are suffering and a useful resource for church leaders and others who are walking alongside them.
Clint Watkins is a missionary to college students.
(Review written for 'Just Be Honest')
If there is one book that I can press upon you to read this year (outside of the Bible), it is this one.
In the Introduction, Clint writes, âWhatever season youâre in, I pray that you will discover Godâs gift of lament, and feel better equipped to help others do the same.â
And as you read this book, you will do just that. Though I am not personally walking through the valley, I have friends who are, and this book did just as Clint prayed it wouldâit opened my eyes to this beautiful gift and better equipped me to come ...alongside those whom I love and who are hurting.
This book itself is a gift, a genuine blessing.
(Review written for 'Just Be Honest')
Title: Just Be Honest
Author: Clint Watkins
Length: 158 Pages
âDry eyes are not a tell-tale sign of strong faith.â
Lament is a topic that you donât hear a lot of sermons on. I didnât even know what lament was until my mentor gave me a copy of the book âDark Clouds, Deep Mercyâ after our sonâs first major heart ...surgery. Understanding and using lament was such a comfort for me as we grieved so many things at that time.
We often think that our grief should look a certain way or fit a specific time table. But that just isnât what is shown to us in the Bible. What we need to understand is that lament is a form or worship! Lament is the language given to us in scripture to cry out to God in our pain and grief. It is something that I believe every Christ follower needs to know about. In his book, âJust Be Honestâ, Clint Watkins does a wonderful job of explaining and applying lament.
I am so glad I learned to lament three years ago. Just be Honest came at a perfect time for a refresher on lament. I read this book through tears and felt like I could have highlighted the whole thing! I already know that Iâll be reading sections of it over and over. If you are walking through a hard time, this book will be a balm for your hurting soul and will help you use scripture to cry out in faith to God.
If you are not currently in a season of grief, DO NOT WAIT until you are to read this book. Do yourself a big favor and read it in preparation for when hard times come.
âIf youâre in Christ, you belong to the one who has power over the grave. Your laments ring out under the banner of a resurrected King. When he returns, all eventual praise will turn eternal. Joy will not longer be eclipsed by sorrow. And death will finally die. You can trust the Lord through tears, knowing that Jesus will one day wipe them away. So struggle faithfully. Groan boldy. Hurt with Hope.â
I was gifted this book by The Good Book Company to give an honest review.
(Review written for 'Just Be Honest')
I wish I had the words to do this book justice. Itâs incredible, a must-read, a book where every.single.page is full of hope and truth, and a balm to a hurting soul. This book takes thoughts of âI canât honestly speak to God about thisâ, and turns them into prayers. Every day that I picked this up, my heart was encouraged.
Youâll love this if you:
â˘are in the midst of sorrow and arenât sure how to be honest with ...God about it
â˘arenât sure how you feel about God and his place in your suffering
â˘are scared to include others in your sorrow
â˘are walking through suffering with a close friend or family member
â˘need a hope-filled read
Bonus: If youâre looking for real-life practical ways to move closer to God in your suffering, move closer to others in your suffering, and help others who are suffering; this book is your resource! I will be referencing back to this one often.
Favorite quotes:
âStrong faith weepsâ
âSome of the most steadfast believers look at the world through tears and walk with a limp.â
âAnd when you canât understand why God is allowing such agony, hear Christâs cry from the cross. Suffering can reduce your prayers down to one word: Why? Jesus punctuated his prayer with a question mark. You can, too.â
âSorrow belongs in the sanctuary.â
âLearn to meet tragedy with a ministry of tears.â
Thank you @thegoodbookcompanyusa and @clintdwatkins for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is a book I will be buying many more copies of â¤ď¸
