Joy in the Sorrow by Matt Chandler and Friends: A Book Review

Hard things in life happen. The question is not will they happen to you, but when will they? When they do happen, how will you respond? How do you make sense of these hard things when you believe in a God who is good? Joy in the Sorrow aims to help you think through some of these things.

Matt Chandler is no stranger to suffering. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor that gave him a life expectancy of two to three more years. That was about ten years ago. In this book, Matt Chandler will take you along his journey as well as introduce you to various members of his church that have had hard journeys of their own.

Matt Chandler is the Pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas. He is the author of several books including The Explicit Gospel, Take Heart, and The Mingling of Souls. He also serves as President of the Acts 29 church-planting network. He is married to Lauren and they have three children.

“In drawing upon the Scriptures and our own experiences, it is our hope that we can help you, whether you’re suffering right now, supporting someone who is, or simply looking to learn how to navigate whatever storm may come your way” (13). David Roark, the General Editor, lays this out as the purpose of this book. In this book, you’ll encounter stories from 12 different people. These stories will bring you to tears. I found myself crying on more than one occasion. However, these stories will also show you hope—supernatural hope that is only found in Christ.

The beauty of Joy in the Sorrow is that it helps the reader encounter suffering from a Christian worldview. Not every story in this book has a happy ending, but every story does help the reader discover the joy that is only found in Christ. Joy is not the same thing as happiness. One can be filled with grief and experience joy. We need to know this. We need to know who our God is when the dirt hits the fan.

Joy in the Sorrow is raw and real. It is painful. It can even be crushing. However, the book also paints the majesty of a glorious God who is conforming his children to the image of his Son and is working all things for their good and his glory. Joy in the Sorrow makes Jesus big. It may not be a book that you want to read, but it truly is a book you need to read.

You can pick up Joy in the Sorrow on Amazon (affiliate).

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Good Book Company in exchange for a fair and honest review.