“The Clouds Ye So Much Dread: Hard Times and the Kindness of God” by Hannah K. Grieser Review
“Evading death is not the point of living.” (30)
Every Christian faces fear. Whether it is fear of sickness, fear of driving, fear of death, fear of suffering, fear of missing out, or something else, we all are faced with situations and circumstances that can lead to anxiety, fear, or full-blown panic. We know that as a Christians we ought to trust God, but sometimes we struggle to do this when life does not go the way it planned or unexpected suffering comes our way. Hannah K. Grieser’s book “The Clouds Ye So Much Dread: Hard Times and the Kindness of God” is an excellent book to help Christians deal with fear in a biblical and winsome manner.
Grieser’s book is a mix of story and theology which helps a believer address fear in their lives. She went through some scary and challenging situations—including having a child get cance—and is able to testify to the goodness of God who carried her through it all. I was really enjoyed how she used stories but grounded the reader in biblical, gospel-centered truth.
She offers lots of great wisdom and point us to trust in the sovereignty of a sovereign, good God and she exposes much of the ways that our fears reveal unbelief in our hearts. Also, I appreciated how she touched on a lot of the topics that cause fear and worry especially among middle class Americans (fear of our plans not working out, fear of driving, fear of what we eat).
Grieser is spot on when she says this: “Our lives are in God’s hands, but it’s not always easy to live as though we believe it. We distrust the Author and try to wrest the pen from His fingers and into our own. It’s tragically laughable.” (78)
I hope this book gets a broad expose and is read by many. It is FAR better than the sentimental, self-help sap that is sadly popular among so many today.
