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Finding God in the Hard Times (Library Edition): Choosing to Trust and Hope When You Can't See the Way

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On the Road Marked With Suffering... How Will You Respond?

Come rain or shine, hardship or ease, confusion or clarity, worship is always a choice. But what does it look like when worship meets suffering? How can God be good when it seems the world is collapsing around you? In this inspiring audio book, Matt and Beth Redman draw on their experiences to explore how to offer praise even in the face of hardship and pain. Focusing on the psalms, they reveal how difficult or tragic circumstances, and the choices you make, can propel you toward God or away from him. Learn how to weather the storms of life with a cry of “blessed be your name” on your lips.

Audio CD

First published April 19, 2016

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About the author

Matt Redman

109 books35 followers
Matt Redman is married to Beth and they have five children. His journey as a worship leader and songwriter has taken him to countries such as South Africa, Japan, India, Australia and the Czech Republic. Along the way he has sung in venues such as Madison Square Garden, Wembley stadium, and the Royal Albert Hall - as well as recording in iconic studios such as Abbey Road in London and Capitol Records in LA. Matt’s best known songs include The Heart of Worship, Blessed Be Your Name, Our God - and the double-Grammy winning 10,000 Reasons. More recent co-writes include Do It Again and Build my Life.

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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Melanie.
2,215 reviews598 followers
August 8, 2016
I'm not really sure how to review this, but I'll try my best. :) I really liked it and thought that it was written well. It had a lot of truths and it's so true that we need to praise God in the good times and during the storms.

I think Finding God in the Hard Times was first published as Blessed Be Your Name, because that book was listed on the copyright page. I haven't read that book, so I can't say for sure, but just wanted to mention it in case you have that book.

All in all, a great nonfiction read that I recommend if you are going through hard times or to help prepare you for when those times come.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
Profile Image for Debbie.
3,621 reviews85 followers
June 10, 2016
"Finding God in the Hard Times" explores worshiping and trusting God even during painful circumstances. Each chapter was roughly based on a phrase from the song, "Blessed Be Your Name." The authors talked about being grateful and praising God in the good times but also "when I'm found in the desert place...when the darkness closes in." They looked at lamentations in the Bible, especially those found in the psalms, and pointed out the pattern of expressing sorrow but ending with trust and praise.

They used verses and stories from the Bible and stories from their lives and their friend's lives. It's a good reminder of how Christians can respond to pain with hope and praise. I'd recommend this book to Christians going through painful circumstances who want a short, sympathetic book on the topic.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Profile Image for Taylor Belt.
54 reviews9 followers
January 26, 2025
This book is an ABSOLUTELY AMAZING one, in every sense of the word and I can't highly recommend it enough to everyone. With that said, here are the two quotes that spoke the most to me (on pages 62 and 63, respectively):

"God is not in the habit of leaving us stranded."

"This is a vital principle to keep hold of if we're to persevere. So often the soil of our suffering will become the fertile ground for our seasons of fruitfulness. The sooner we recognize this principle at work in various situations, the less painful they may be." (This quote is referring to Joseph's declarations in Genesis 50:20 and Genesis 41:52, respectively, with him saying in Genesis 50:20: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." and in Genesis 41:52: "The second son [Joseph] named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.")

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book, so thank you for writing it, Matt and Beth Redman. I appreciate it more than you know.
Profile Image for Stephanie Richmond.
1 review2 followers
January 1, 2021
Which seems harder—to praise God when things are going well or to praise Him when life is difficult? This book takes a scope into the beautiful complexities of worship in the midst of hardship—Finding God in the hard times. Oh that our heart posture would ardently worship Him in and out of suffering.

While this book is a quick read, there’s much to ponder. The study at the end of the book gives room for further insight and growth. A book I can read over and over again.
Profile Image for Brandi.
36 reviews
September 16, 2024
I would have preferred more personal testimony and scripture than reading over and over the words of theologists whose works I did not choose to read. And one part in particular really bothered me: Quote from the author, chapter six: "Was it the Lord inflicting [what was at play] or was it the Lord allowing the enemy to do so?"

God does not cause pain. This is not for thought.
Profile Image for Hannah Jeffords Whitney.
18 reviews1 follower
October 22, 2018
This book is good for new Christians and those more mature in the faith. It serves as a good reminder in hard times and very moving stories. Though I wish they would have gone into more detail on some subjects, it was an overall good and quick read.
Profile Image for Amy.
23 reviews
November 14, 2018
Very encouraging for worshipping and praising God even through painful experiences.
Profile Image for Kim.
104 reviews
February 26, 2023
Very good book. It is short, but if you are struggling with loss, this is a good book to read.
Profile Image for Victoria W..
273 reviews28 followers
May 3, 2016
When I was in high school the new "in" song was Blessed be your name.

It was for good reason.

Because now, over a decade later, and with a lot more education (specifically focusing in areas such as counselling, crisis, and music - my course selection was hilarious) I can see the lack of venues for expression during times of trial that still exist in the church. I remember walking into counselling classes where large percentages of the class had never heard of lament - let alone understood its purpose and I've yet to see percentages for those outside of higher education.

Blessed be your name was unique for its time as a modern worship song that acknowledged the time of pain, suffering, and messy unclear situations without answers while still being fully worship.

Honestly, I still love that song.

One other thing I learned in college was that it is infinitely easier to run on for pages than to confine oneself to a small word count when the topic is important. Given my love of Matt Redman's lyrics I was curious to see how he would address the same themes evident in the popular song when given the space to roam free.

Finding God in Hard Times is the book I wish had been assigned while I was a counselling student. This is not a deep theological debate, it's not a how to/ 10 step/ here's your answers book either. It is a beautiful journey though -either self-contained or as the start of deeper study.

I loved the simplicity of Matt and Beth's text. Heavily reliant on both scripture and personal touches Finding God stood out to me in its refusal to deny God's unchanging faithfulness through trial while being equally unwilling to oversimplify and brush off the reality, painfulness, and tension of living in a broken world.

This is that rare book I would actually feel comfortable giving to a friend going through a rough patch or recommending for a small group (not just because of the handy guide provided by Matt and Beth at the end); Matt and Beth's writing is comfortable sitting with pain, sitting with confusion, and yet constantly, gently pointing readers back to God.

5 out of 5 stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."
72 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2016
Simple and profound. The Christian walk was meant to be simple and profound. It’s a walk through good times and hard times.

Matt and Beth Redman tell us how it can be a worship walk even in the times of suffering. Worship is a choice, and the choice is ours.

“In the life of every worshiper, there will come times when worship meets with suffering. And these moments shape what kind of worshipers we will become.” (p. 27)

Although the slaves cried out to God in their Gospel songs of worship, Redman found that there were only a few modern worship songs stemming from suffering. “Blessed Be Your Name,” came shortly after that revelation.

Finding God in the Hard Times, formerly named Blessed Be Your Name, grew from the song.

From David’s and Joseph’s sufferings to the Redmans’ sufferings, we learn that on the road of suffering , we have a choice to turn our thoughts and voices from the suffering back to praise.

At the end of each of the five chapters, there are questions for reflection.This is an excellent tool to use in a small group Bible study. In fact, the Redmans have also provided a small group discussion guide at the end of the book.

This second edition includes two letters from women who have written the Redmans to share how greatly the song “Blessed Be Your Name” helped them on their road of suffering.

“So often the soil of our suffering will become the fertile ground for our seasons of fruitfulness.” (p. 63)

The soil of the Redmans’ suffering has produced many seasons of fruit through this one worship song and this one book.

I will purchase several of these books to give to others on the road of suffering.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers for my honest review.
Profile Image for Gini.
467 reviews21 followers
May 10, 2016
One thing I did not mention on retail sites was that this book was originally published as Blessed Be Your Name in 2005 and again in 2008 by Regal Books per the copyright page.

What to say about this little book? First it is short, about 120 pages including front matter, two forwards, and a set of questions for discussion. But, the material in between all that is worth the read. The chapters are based on the different portions of a song the authors wrote in 2002, Blessed Be Your Name. Many of us know this song and love it, but haven’t given the lyrics much thought really. This book gives us a chance to do a little thinking in that regard.

For example, how heavily the contemporary songs emphasize victory and equate blessings with the plentiful, bountiful, comfortable life. Little there for when things get tough. And they do and will continue to do so. What then? That’s the point of this little book. What then? What choices will we make then? What will lift the darkness then? Good questions and there are others like “why me?”. The authors give us a great start on finding some answers. As always it seems the answers are too simple for us to believe. Another three hundred pages would not help either. And that might be the only nit I have with this book. It’s so readable and short that the reader will breeze right through it and miss the important message found in the text. But, then we could re-read it or slow down a little.

I do recommend this little book as a place to start the conversation to answer the hard questions we ask in the tough times.

This book was provided by the publisher in return for a review.




Profile Image for Veronica.
1,057 reviews8 followers
June 18, 2016
This is an enjoyable book with a lot of good points. The chapter headings are taken from lines in the song, "Blessed Be Your Name," which the Redmans wrote. One of the things they pointed out that people struggle with is knowing that God is good, but trying to reconcile that with the hardship they're going through. They suggested going to the Bible to read about people who've gone through hard times and being encouraged by all the ways He's been faithful in the past. You can also remember how He's been faithful to you or people you know. This builds faith, which will lead to worship. I thought this was a wonderful way to get the focus on God and the amazing things He's done and off of yourself. It an be so easy to focus on your problems and the hard time you're going through and to start feeling sorry for yourself. They also point out that suffering can strengthen us and God can end up bringing good out of the bad. They shared struggles they've had in their own lives and how they've turned to God through them. They also shared letters they received about how their song has helped people who'd lost a loved one. Have a tissue handy! I really appreciated their transparency as they shared some tough memories and how God worked through them. I liked the chapter about the discipline of thanksgiving and how it's important to thank God in the good times and bad. There's also a discussion guide and a guide to the Scripture references in the book. This was a short book, but it packed a lot of wisdom into its pages. I highly recommend it!

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jalynn Patterson.
2,215 reviews38 followers
May 9, 2016
About the Book:

"Powerful and life-altering encouragement for us all."--Louie Giglio
In this inspiring book, Matt and Beth Redman draw on their experiences as well as those of others, exploring how to offer praise even in the face of hardship and pain. Focusing on the psalms, many of which were written out of struggle, they show how difficult or tragic circumstances--and our choices--can propel us toward God or away from him, build up our faith or break it. Learn how to ride out the storms of life with a cry of "blessed be your name" on your lips.



My Review:

It's really hard in bad times, in troubled times, in times that seem so incredibly hard that you couldn't possibly take another step to see God. Seeing Him sometimes if not always requires you to look inward and to look for His promises and truths that could only come through a process such as hurt, disappoint, or despair. It is a very breathe taking, lonely process but it takes this process to draw you ever closer to Him.


In Finding God in the Hard Times: Choosing to Trust When You Can't See the Way, the authors are teaching you in the confines of this very short read that worship is the key to drawing closer to Him in the hardships of life. However hard it is, we should reach up to Him through our worship. The authors use their experiences as well as ones from the Bible to outline our goal. Our goal is to find God in the suffering because that is where He is waiting.


**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author.
664 reviews23 followers
May 23, 2016
A new little volume released by Bethany House in 2016 should become required reading for any Christian going through hardships and times of pain, suffering, and confusion. “Finding God in the Hard Times: Choosing to Trust and Hope When You Can’t See the Way” was written by Matt and Beth Redman, the songwriters of a life-changing worship piece entitled “Blessed Be Your Name”. Although small in size and less than 150 pages in length, this little book packs a punch that may forever alter your view of trusting God through hard times. Incorporating the lyrics of their beloved song into each chapter of the book, the Redmans point readers towards the trust and hope that is available to us all, even in a world of darkness.

After two heartfelt forewords by famous pastors Jack Hayford and Andy Hickford, the lyrics of “Blessed Be Your Name” are included for reference and inspiration. Accordingly, the names of the five chapters to follow incorporate lyrics of the song: My Heart Will Choose to Say, The Road Marked With Suffering, Though There’s Pain in the Offering, Turn It Back to Praise, and You Give and Take Away. Following these beautifully sincere chapters is an accompanying discussion guide, Bible references, and recommended reading suggestions. Without question, if you are experiencing difficult times in your life, or someone you love is, this book is certain to be a balm to the soul and hope for the heart. Don’t miss this incredible blessing.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."
Profile Image for Deb.
542 reviews6 followers
May 23, 2016
With everything my family is going through right now, I was immediately attracted to this book by it's title, Finding God in the Hard Times. Subtitled, Choosing to Trust and hope When You Can't See the Way, this little book by Christian music recording artists, Matt and Beth Redman, explore how we can offer praise and gratitude to God even when life is really hard. The Redmans draw on personal experiences of themselves and others and focus on the prayers found in the Old Testament book of Psalms to reveal how we can weather the storms of life while believing and proclaiming "blessed by your name" to God our Heavenly Father.

Using the lyrics of their worship hymn, "Blessed Be Your Name" to guide the text of the book, the Redmans show the reader how praise and gratitude during times of trial is an essential part of our spiritual journey, and can bring us through difficult or tragic circumstances to a realization that the love of God is always present for us.

The uplifting and inspirational book is divided into five quick and easy chapters with discussion guide questions and biblical references at the end. I give it **** four stars out of a possible five.

Bethany House publishers provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Ruthe Turner.
491 reviews12 followers
October 14, 2016
The book is based on a song written by the authors: “Blessed be Your name.” Basically, they call the song a “Christian Lament,” where we sing praises in spite of the experiences or understanding of both good and bad things that happen. The song was birthed in the infamous year of 2011 when America experienced the horrific Terrorist attack of the Twin Towers. We praise through faith during trials, and we praise through gratitude when God blesses us. Words from the song show this: “every blessing you pour out – I’ll turn back to praise. When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Then later words from Job, “You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed by your name.” The book is full of Bible verses, which are also listed in the back of the book. There are also great discussion questions for groups. The lyrics and song can be found all over the internet and YouTube, as well as some amazing interviews of these two very real people who fill their songs with living Scriptures. Let the influence of this book and its authors help build you up and strengthen you in your faith.
Profile Image for Shaun Lee.
191 reviews6 followers
June 21, 2016
Matt and Beth Redman's mix in personal struggles, stories of close friends and historical Christian figures with Scripture as they walk through the various stanzas of the song they composed titled "Blessed be your name." It was only when I was through two thirds of the book that I recognised that the content was very similar - I had actually read the previous edition (titled Blessed be your name by Regal Books). The Redmans write simply and authentically; you can be rest assured there are no mighty theological terms that would require you to look up a dictionary. As suffering and difficult times is no discriminator of persons, this tiny little book therefore is an ideal gift for people who do not usually pick up books to read.

I received this book from the Baker Publishing Group's Bethany House Division Blogger Review Program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn Bouchillon.
Author 1 book132 followers
July 2, 2016
If you're walking through a valley or what feels like the wilderness, this would be a great book to pick up and read through. It's incredibly short - the first of two forewords starts on page 13 and the final page of actual content is page 92. The Redman's writing begins on page 27 so if you do the math, and figure in that the pages are smaller than a traditional book, you can easily read the entire book in one day.

I was quite disappointed in the length and surprised that there were very few personal stories woven throughout the book. However, this book would be a good resource for small groups or couples walking through a difficult time, as well as an encouragement to those who have found strength from the song "Blessed Be Your Name."
Profile Image for Annie Kate.
366 reviews19 followers
May 27, 2016
A very worthwhile book about choosing to praise God even in hard times. If God is all-powerful and if he loves us, then all that happens to us is, as he says, for our good. This is how and why it is possible to praise God even when life falls apart.

The authors discuss various aspects of these ideas in a helpful and biblical way, with many references to the Psalms.

If your life is difficult and you are having a hard time praising God, this book may help you.

I hope to have a complete review on my blog by fall 2016.
Profile Image for Megan.
1,735 reviews199 followers
April 21, 2017
This book is a very quick read, which was nice. I loved how the book said we need to praise God in both the trials and the good times, and how easy it is to forget to thank Him in the good times. I think the book is something you could easily read again and get something out of it. I found out when I started the book that this book was previously published as Blessed Be Your Name, which I think should be clearly stated somewhere on the cover or synopsis for those who might have already read it. I hadn't read it before, so this doesn't concern me but I do dislike it a lot when books are retitled and published again without any warning to those who may already have the old version.
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