When the Bottom Drops Out: Finding Grace in the Depths of Disappointment
Robert Bugh
Buy this book
In When The Bottom Drops Out, Robert Bugh teaches Christians how to think about and work through grief and serious disappointments.
One of the things that makes this book work so well is that it isn’t just theoretical knowledge about the topic but that what he teaches has been learned from his experience of his best friend and his wife dying. His reflections on these events are really moving. It also serves to demonstrate well why having good theology matters in practice.
What he shares of his personal story is complimented by extensive teaching from the bible about suffering. He shows how God is good and at work in the severe suffering of a number of biblical characters. He also addresses some misconceptions Christians have about suffering. I was particularly glad to read his arguments from the bible against prosperity gospel approaches to dealing with suffering as these are popular but can do immense harm.
Even if you are not suffering right now I think this is still a valuable book to read. It will help you have a good framework for when bad things happen in the future. It will also probably be helpful in learning how to be sensitive to those who suffer. He provides some hints based on what was helpful and unhelpful in his own experience.
The only critique I would make is that some of the retelling of the author’s story were a bit longer than they probably need to be, particularly towards the start of the book.
Overall, I thought it was a helpful and well written book that many will find quite helpful.
Review copy courtesy of christianaudio.com
