[A little late -- I read this for my month of patience, which was July.]
When God Takes Too Long by Joseph Bentz
Source: Sacramento Library
Finished: 8/2/12
Rating: 8 out of 10
Publisher: Beacon Hill Press
Pages: 160
Published: 2005
Challenges: [CULTIVATE] PATIENCE
Synopsis (from the book description): In When God Takes Too Long, Joseph Bentz examines the mysteries of God’s timing and shows Christians how to thrive in the midst of one of life’s greatest frustrations — waiting. He offers those who have been discouraged by a life of waiting a chance to alter not only their perspective on waiting, but also their actions in response to it, transforming this frustration into a positive force that will enrich and change their lives.
Overall Impression: I really wish I didn’t have to return this to the library in such haste — all of my little bookmarks and paper pieces went with it (a library fine of a buck a day will do that!). I found so much of this book really helpful. I talked about patience a lot in July, and this book reiterated the fact that we are such a rushed society, that we do not know how to wait. Abraham waited 80 years for his call, but I can’t wait until I get home to respond to that text message. Bentz does a wonderful job of framing our lives in a long-term, eternal perspective, and also offers real, helpful tips to make waiting easier. He also uses a lot of Biblical examples of people who waited, which I appreciated. Overall, the book is about trusting God and relying on Him to take care of you, even when things aren’t moving in the time frame you’d like.
Side note: I was tickled to find out that my sister-in-law had Bentz as a teacher when she was in college. Any time he mentioned his students in the book, I thought of her!
Positives: An excellent addition to my reading on patience — highly recommended to people who just feel like things aren’t happening quickly enough. It was a lot of common sense and sound Biblical theology.
Negatives: There wasn’t anything revolutionary.
Other books I’ve read by Joseph Bentz: none
Other blogger opinions:
I didn’t see this reviewed on any blogs. Here are three Amazon opinions:
A Campbell: “I especially appreciated the “Almost, not yet” sequence with Moses and the plagues.”
Erin: “…if anything, this book reminds us that our own ideas of success, failure, good and bad are pretty relative in the scope of eternity.”
Beau Johnson: “He writes with a wisdom and clarity of understanding.”
Beau Johnson (the third commentor) went to APU with me!