Purpose Driven Life

[kayre]

Summary: God “uses circumstances to develop our character.” “.. None of your problems could happen without God’s permission.” But “problems don’t automatically produce what God intends. Many people become bitter, rather than better... You have to respond the way Jesus would.” “The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is temporary but your reward will be eternal.”

My thoughts: Anybody have anything to get the bad taste out of my mouth? This is the first time I’ve seriously considered not finishing the book. I’m utterly disgusted.

“Your most profound and intimate experiences of worship will likely be in your darkest days....” unless, that is, they drive you away from God entirely. “God’s plan for your life includes all that happens to you-- including your mistakes, your sins, and your hurts.” And your abusive father? Alcoholic husband? Cancer? “God can bring good out of the worst evil.” Does that excuse allowing the evil?

Rather gratuitously, Warren mentions the four women listed in the geneaology of Jesus, and puts the worst possible spin on each of their stories. “Tamar seduced her father-in-law to get pregnant....” Yes, she did, because he didn’t honor his obligations to her. Grrrr.

Most of the chapter is spent unpacking Romans 8:28-29. He makes a point of saying the promise of this verse is only for believers: “All things work for bad for those living in opposition to God and insist [sic] on having their own way.”

Warren’s language flops between saying God allows our troubles and that God causes them. “You know you are maturing when you begin to see the hand of God in the random, baffling, and seemingly pointless circumstances of life.”