Book Review: Seasons of Sorrow by Tim Challies

​Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God 
​by Tim Challies

In 2020, Canadian Pastor and writer Tim Challies experienced every parent’s greatest nightmare. He and his wife Aileen received a phone call that their 20-year-old son, had collapsed and was unresponsive. Their son Nick was 600 miles away from home studying at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Tim and Aileen rushed to the airport and took the first available flight from Toronto to Louisville but before they could get there, Nick had tragically passed away. Over the next year Tim wrote down how he was wrestling through the sorrow of loss. What he wrote would become this book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God.   
 
As I read this book I did so with almost constant tears in my eyes. I grieved for the Challies family, but I also rejoiced with them! Their son had died yet still lives. Nick was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and was committed to becoming a vocational pastor. For those in Christ, death has no sting and death has no victory (1 Corinthians 15:55) because for us “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). And although, there is no sting for the one who has passed, there is still sorrow for the loved ones left behind here on earth. Jesus knows this, He has even felt this sorrow (John 11). Yet, in our sorrow we can find joy and we can find comfort in the promises of scripture.  
 
Challies continually goes back to the scripture, he clings to it, he is reminding himself of the truth that scripture gives and there he finds comfort. Throughout the Bible we find that one of the attributes of God is that He is good. He is Omnibenevolent (All Good). In Chapter seven Challies reminds himself of this truth that God is always good. He also reminds himself that God is sovereign. God is sovereign over this world and over our lives, He and He alone decides when we leave this world!  Challies reminds himself and us that since God is sovereign and since God is omnibenevolent, even though we might not be able to understand, by faith we can rest assure that our loved one’s passing has a good purpose. 
 
We can look at the above truths and say, “yes I know that but I’m struggling with it.” We can know that God is good and sovereign, but we can also struggle with really believing it at times. In chapter thirteen, Challies recounts Mark 9 when a boy who possessed with a demon is brought to Jesus. The father of the boy asks Jesus to help him IF he can. Jesus responds “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” (Mark 9:23 ESV) The father replies with “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 ESV) Then Jesus proceeds to cast out the demon. The Lord knows that our faith is often weak. We believe God and yet our flesh still tries to doubt. God knows! In suffering this may be our only prayer “I believe; help my unbelief.” 
 
I want to encourage you to go buy this book especially if you are in a season of loss and sorrow. Even if you are not in a season of sorrow now, you will be one day if the Lord tarries. Suffering, sorrow, and loss are all guarantees in this sinful and broken world. Its best that we prepare ourselves to lean on the Lord when those times come.  I have marked certain chapters in this book that helped me greatly, that made me say “when I suffer, I want to be reminded of this.” I want to encourage you to do the same. Get a copy of this book but you’ll also need a box or two of Kleenex, there will be tears of grief and tears of joy! 

Seasons of Sorrow is available at the retailers below

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Next Book:

Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents
By Rod Dreher