A Time to Mourn

by Will Dobbie

To a Christian, the death of an unbeliever is heartbreaking. But even in the darkness of grief, there can be light. Will Dobbie’s nuanced examination of the hope found in the Bible offers more than shallow comfort.   The topic of the death of non–believers is often a taboo amongst Christians. So often we don’t know what to say to comfort friends who are grieving. Where do we find hope when all seems hopeless? The answer is in the character of the God who reveals Himself in the pages of the Bible, who shows Himself to be love.   With the tone of a pastor, who knows how hard it is to lose a friend and not know whether they belong to Christ, Willie Dobbie affirms that we don’t need to suppress grief. He directs our eyes towards the One who knows all things, who feels our heartache, and who Himself grieves.   As human beings, we cannot know another’s heart. God alone knows; he does not ask us to bear the burden of such knowledge. We can trust the One who heals the broken–hearted and binds up their wounds.   If you are mourning a loved one, this book offers not shallow consolation, but real comfort based in the truth of God’s Word.  

Genres: Christian, Grief, Faith

96 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2024

Reviews

[Parker Bentley]

Have you ever struggled with wondering if a friend, family member, or acquaintance that died was saved? Well this is a really great, short read on that topic. The author grounds the book in scripture, focuses on God’s character, and prioritizes God’s glory. The work, although short, is comprehensive, covering how to properly (or not properly) examine evidence of faith in others’ lives, predestination, evangelism, and more. I was encouraged by the book to trust God more in this area, and lean less on my own understanding, or lack thereof. Would recommend to Christians as a good and practical resource on death and hell. A John Newton quote included in book: “If I ever reach heaven, I expect to see three wonders there: first, to meet some I had not thought to see there, second to miss some I had expected to see there, and third, the greatest Wonder of all, to find myself there.”

[Josh Mccracken]

short book (100 pages) but hugely helpful and practical, providing a God centred approach in how to deal with the death of unbelievers or those whose eternity is unsure. Shows our God who is the judge of the whole earth and will ultimately and always do what is right.

[KatieK]

Just the most wonderful book! Not very long with short, easy to read chapters, but totally packed with scriptural truth and God's deep love. This was given to me by friends recently as my Father has just died and it has been such a wonderful comfort. You don't need to be currently grieving a loved one who didn't know Jesus to benefit from this book though, it's one I will come back to and re-read again and again and one I shall now give to friends as well. Beautifully and succinctly written, no waffle, no pithy emotions, just great reminders of who God is and how he works. Every believer should read this book.

[Tim Goldsmith]

I'd give this book 6 stars if I could.
Will Dobbie pastorally and biblically guides the reader through the complexities of dealing with the reality of people we know and love dying without knowing Jesus as Lord. He shows how God cares, grieves, knows, judges, and more. I appreciate that he also touches on areas like depression, and suicide, along with how we make sense of the tension between God's predestination and a desire to see all saved.
I'll re-read this & am already trying to find a cheap place to buy more copies!

[Karen Soole]

This book is written with a pastoral heart and deep biblical conviction. It is full of gems. I am encouraging others to read it. I have never read a book that addresses this subject—the fear and pain of losing someone who may not have been a Christian, something many of us struggle with. He offers not false hope but great comfort and confidence in God.

[Steve]

A Difficult Topic Handled With Grace

To me the most difficult part of a being a Christian is the destiny of those who don't believe. Being separated from God is a reality. This book deals with the complexity of unbelievers with grace and compassion but never denies the reality of those who reject the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Lisa Miller]

This is a quite readable book based on scripture. I don’t know if I learned anything new but the author nudged and pushed me back to where I know I need to be: focused on God and remembering everything really is all about Him and His glory.

[Neil Saltmarsh]

This was a very good, concise book which did not have the usual answers that you might expect from such books about grieving. It went to the hard places as well as a framework of death and dying within the Christian context. This is a book I will use again.

[Dave]

Outstanding and greatly needed book. If you’re a Christian, you have almost certainly wrestled with the death of a loved one or friend whose status before God was uncertain at best and clearly opposed at the worst. Where can we find comfort? What does the Word of God have for us in these hard circumstances of grief, loss, and questioning? Will Dobbie has written an excellent, Scripture-saturated book to help. He seeks to anchor these questions in the character and glory of God. It is weighty in content and subject, but made easy to comprehend, and with the eyes of faith, to wrestle with and accept. Highly recommended!

[Adam Thomas]

A helpful and compassionate book on an important topic. I'm grateful that Will Dobbie put so much thought into writing it. As the chapter titles suggest, our hope in times of grief comes only from God himself and our understanding of who he is - The God who Cares, the God who Grieves, the God who Knows, and so on.

At points, though, the book is a bit abstract and overly focussed on trying to offer explanations. There is even discussion about dual wills and multiple objects of love. I'm not sure how helpful this would actually be to people asking this as a pressing question.