Limping Heavenward by Karrie Hahn

Limping Heavenward: Living by Faith in Comprehensive and Chronic Suffering is not just another book on suffering. Most of the time, we think of suffering, no matter how deep or severe, as a season we will eventually pass through. Drawing on personal experience, Karrie Hahn examines comprehensive and chronic suffering.

Comprehensive suffering occurs when our pain and loss devastate multiple areas of life at once. It might include serious health issues, loss of family and friends, financial distress, and more, all at once. A person’s life may seem to be imploding, with no relief and no end in sight. This brings us to chronic suffering. It may be lifelong pain. There may be no light at the end of the tunnel in this world. How do we deal with that?

Karrrie Hahn sensitively explores the topic with a solid Biblical foundation.

“What often tips the scales from suffering’s being bearable to unbearable is the degree to which we feel seen, heard, supported, helped and loved by others in our deep distress.”

One of the convicting things she brings to light is five miserable comforters - people who should be helping but whose “help” causes more pain. She identifies these as

1. Accusation - there must be sin in your life.

2. Aphorisms - “pat” answers or easy Scripture quotations

3. Abandonment - pulling away from the sufferer, either from fear or selfishness

4. Avoidance - reducing contact with the person

5. Apathy - either not caring or not turning caring into action.

Karrie Hahn unwraps the Scriptures for those who are suffering, letting them see our God who cares and giving practical encouragement while at the same time helping those around the suffering one understand more of what they are going through and what can be a genuine help.

This is a recommended book for those who are suffering, for those who know people caught in comprehensive and chronic pain, as well as for Pastors and counsellors.

Purchase your copy from Amazon here.