Review: Suffering Is Never for Nothing

I was delighted to learn this year that a new book by Elisabeth Elliot has been published!  Many of you are familiar with Elisabeth Elliot already, and you probably know that she passed away a few years ago. She faced suffering in many different forms throughout her life. She spent challenging years in a remote jungle as a missionary, both when she was single and when she was married. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, was speared to death, and she was left alone with a young daughter to raise. Her second husband died of cancer. In her later years she suffered from Alzheimer’s. Through it all, she remained faithful to God, trusted in Him, and worked faithfully to simply do the next thing.

Elisabeth Elliot’s new book is titled, Suffering Is Never for Nothing, and it is based on a speaking series she gave many years ago. The words in the book are taken directly from the transcript of her speaking series, and very little editing was necessary. It was delightful to read this book and to “hear” Elisabeth Elliot’s voice again. She shares, as she always did, in her straightforward, no-nonsense way.

This is an encouraging book for the believer who is trying to make sense of the very hard suffering in life, and it is also beneficial for the believer who is looking for help as they face everyday challenges. If you are searching for hope in your suffering today, I pray that Elisabeth Elliot’s words will be an encouragement to you.

Suffering Is Never for Nothing

(If you are reading this in an email, you may click over to the blog to see the video clip.)

I cannot say to you, I know exactly what you’re going through. But I can say that I know the One who knows. And I’ve come to see that it’s through the deepest suffering that God has taught me the deepest lessons. And if we’ll trust Him for it, we can come through to the unshakable assurance that He’s in charge. He has a loving purpose. And He can transform something terrible into something wonderful. Suffering is never for nothing. - Elisabeth Elliot

You can watch all of the videos from Elisabeth Elliot's teaching series, originally titled Suffering Is Not for Nothing, for free here on the Ligonier website.

If you prefer reading over a video series, I recommend picking up a copy of the new book, Suffering Is Never for Nothing, found at Amazon and Christian Book. This is a short book, with only six chapters, but it is a gem of a book! You will be challenged and encouraged in your faith!

Disclaimer: I was given an advanced reader e-copy through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions in this blog post are my own.