Book Review : When the Hurt Runs Deep - Healing and Hope for Life's Desperate Moments by Kay Arthur

When the Hurt Runs Deep: Healing and Hope for Life’s Desperate Moments
by Kay Arthur

    When I think of someone trying to bring hope during times of another’s great distress, I tend to anticipate trite words and an inability to connect with the sufferer and understand real deep pain and heartache.  Maybe it’s because I’ve seen several well-meaning people say things to hurting friends or acquaintances that don’t bring any real hope or healing to a situation.   Because of this, when I speak to others to encourage them in tough situations I am conscientious to consider their pain as very real and something I may or may not be able to relate to.  I don’t always know what to say either, but when I can relate to the person and/or to the situation, it makes the conversation much more meaningful.  In addition, it brings about great opportunities to share how Christ has worked in my heart to heal me and how He continues to be my source of peace and strength during challenging times.   In this book, readers get a glimpse of Kay Arthur’s personal life and the pains she has experienced.   She connects with the reader and you get the sense that she shares from the heart.        

     More importantly than sharing her own stories, Kay takes the reader through the experiences of several figures in the Bible (such as Joseph and Job and of course Jesus).  By sharing their experiences we can see examples of others who suffered real neglect, betrayal, abandonment, injustice etc.  We can also see how God works and what that means for us as believers.  Throughout the book the reader will learn more of God, what His Word says and how to find real hope.

       Two things stood out to me the most in reading this book.  The first was the sheer amount of scripture and the ability Kay has to draw the reader to a deeper and closer relationship with a loving Creator. She even takes a chapter to address the question many have when they experience suffering or think of others in dire circumstances, that is “What kind of God allows our pain?”   Kay Arthur is a well-known teacher of God’s Word and one that teaches by getting students to mark words, phrases, names, locations and other things in scripture passages.  This method helps to bring out various points a reader may have missed and help to get deeper in God’s Word.  Her writing in this book is well done as she is able to focus on the topic, yet weave in times to get out your Bible’s and start marking!   If you wish to make the book a personal or small group study, there is a study guide in the back as well.

     The second thing that stood out was the little boxes interspersed throughout the book for Healing Truths.  These are great summaries of the information she shares as well as great reminders and words of encouragement.  At the end of the book she lists these all together.  It would be great to print these off with some scripture and post them somewhere where I will read them often.  Hmmm….

     Finally, I love that after the study guide, at the very end of the book, Kay has included several pages of practical helps.  Sometimes we can know the spiritual things, but we miss taking practical steps to get us through painful times.  I hope and pray with Kay that her book, and the Lord’s Word, minister to the hearts of many who are hurting.

NOTE : This book was received free of charge by Waterbrook Multnomah for the purposes of a review through their Blogging for Books program.