If God is Good is an excellent God-focused, scripture-based book. It gives a comprehensive and balanced look at what the entire Bible says about evil and suffering. If you have any question about why an all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing God allows evil and suffering, this book thoroughly answers it. — D.A.

I am a pastor in Mississippi. Six years ago today our son was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. I tell people often that if it was not for that sickness in my child I never would have discovered what it means to have an eternal perspective. If God is Good means the world to my wife and I. —C. A.

After reading If God is Good, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for not writing a book full of 'pat answers', or one that 'lets God off the hook'. The book was honest and well balanced.
     I have suffered from major chronic physical pain since I was a teenager. I have multiple medical issues (endometriosis, nerve pain, foot pain, migraines) and cannot even remember the last time I was totally pain free. Although I have not come to the point to be grateful for all my pain, I am learning to trust God and see a purpose for all my pain.  —J.W.

If God is Good: Faith In the Midst of Suffering and Evil has been the most comforting book I have ever read. My husband and I have been in ministry for 35 years and we have seen our share of suffering and evil. We have also seen our share of 'explanations'. Your book was on the mark and thrilled my soul! -T.N.

I just wanted to say thank you so much for writing If God Is Good. My 58-year-old mom, previously healthy and extremely beloved, died from pancreatic cancer. She suffered from the disease for twenty months but is now rejoicing eternally. I have been a life-long Christian, but her illness taught me that there was a lot about my faith that was untested, not to mention flawed. For two years I struggled, for the first time in my life, with my relationship with my Lord and Savior as I felt for the first real time His sweet discipline. I started rounding the corner spiritually, tiptoeing my way to MUCH firmer spiritual ground and my husband gave me your book for Christmas. Reading it has become a sort of daily devotion time to me, and I enjoy slowly pouring over every word. Your book has helped me immensely! I feel I can now claim Psalm 40:1-3... He has given me a FIRM place to stand and put a NEW song in my mouth, and I am sooo grateful! I have flagged so many pages with asterisks and underlines and will always have your book to come back to for encouragement and I appreciate your taking the time to write it so much!  Such an important topic and tool for Christians like me who, when faced with a first big test, find their faith shockingly (although no surprise to God!) shallow and imperfect.  —K.D.

As a pastor I can't tell you how much reading If God is Good has meant to me. I've been at it for months and every time I pick it up it speaks some fresh truth to my heart. Over the last year I have read many of these short powerful stories of suffering souls to our congregation, which I believe will have a profound impact in due time. I just want to express my deep admiration for this profound piece of much needed theology in these days, and I really like the term "compatibilist", it's a good fit for me. — R.T.

If God is Good is the best book I have ever seen on this sticky subject. Most of the books I have seen either present a mushy defense that is heavily weighted on a loving God or read like theological defense with about as much readability as a the congressional tax code with little compassion for the deep questions and pain that people experience. Alcorn uses a lot of relevant stories of suffering and how those who experienced them found real hope in the Christian faith. This book should be on every pastor’s shelf and should be the basis for a relevant sermon series on this topic for his flock. — M.H., pastor

This was an excellent read and will be a resource for years to come. The clarity of the issues and the biblical responses were terrific. How wonderful it will be when we all come face to face with our Lord and Savior and the joy of eternity overwhelms our temporary and often painful suffering. — L.K.

Because of the depth of its message, it has taken me several months to complete reading If God is Good. It is a book I will refer to often as God provides me opportunities to reach out to others who are in pain. The book is full of my inserted brackets, underlines, asterisks, and highlighted areas so I will have no difficulty locating reference points. I purchased a copy of this book as gifts for several friends, and ordered a copy to be sent to my son in prison. His response is the same as mine, i.e., he finds it impossible to simply “read” the book. Instead, it is a book to be studied and absorbed into one’s approach to the challenges of our life here on earth. — L.M.

I had an opportunity to share with a woman who struggling between Buddhism and Christianity. I shared how Christianity answers the problem of good and evil based on what I learned from If God Is Good. She mentioned she was struggling with what Buddhism has to say about that. You could literally see the light bulb over her head. Thank God for this book because I was ready for a change. — T.W.

My pastor mentioned a special book he treasured. He said if he ever faced an emergency where he had to leave home in a hurry he would take his Bible and that book. I couldn’t think of any of my many books I loved that much. Then I opened If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn, and I understood what he meant.
     I think most of us at some time have stumbled over the question of why bad things happen. Atheists use the world suffering as proof God doesn’t exist. They claim that if He does exist, then He’s neither loving nor very powerful. Randy Alcorn confronts that problem head on. He brings fresh, insightful and powerful answers to the questions about goodness and evil and he gives assurance that God is in control.
     So, if an emergency arrives and I only have time to grab two of my books, I’ll take my Bible and If God Is Good by Randy Alcorn. This should be required reading for all Christians. — B.W.

There are many people who question the existence of God. The question “How could God let bad things happen to good people?” is asked time and time again. Evil is very real in our world. Randy Alcorn uses people’s experiences in suffering along with biblical scriptures to prove the existence of God and evil. He shows how atheists’ own words prove what they are trying to disprove. He lays out what open theists think and shows in scripture where their thinking is flawed. This book will guide you through the scriptures to help you understand the undeniable existence and power of God. — H.K.

 In his excellent book, If God is Good, Randy Alcorn points out, “Most of us don’t give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. This forces us to formulate perspective on the fly, at a time when our thinking is muddled....It’s far better to think through suffering in advance.”
     Tragedy will come into your life, and it will have one of two effects. Either you will have your faith strengthened and will turn to God for comfort, or you will become angry at God and turn away from Him. It is your choice. Hardships in life will either make you better or bitter. You decide which it will be. Because character is not made in a crisis—it is revealed. — P.M.