Hope Has Its Reasons: The Search to Satisfy Our Deepest Longings [Paperback]

Rebecca Manley Pippert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

You long for love and happiness. But so often you are blocked from satisfying that longing. What are the barriers? Why are they so troublesome? How does spirituality play a role? Rebecca Manley Pippert examines these persistently human questions in this thoughtful and personal book. She invites you to join her on a journey exploring the region between faith and unbelief where your hopes and doubts mingle. Calling as expert guides such thinkers as Albert Camus and C. S. Lewis, she cites freely her own experiences and sets out the questions all face--questions about significance, meaning, love, life and truth, the search for encouragement and security. Pippert offers no canned formulas or saccharine cliches. In this revised and updated edition she squarely engages your uncertainty, disappointment, longing for fulfillment, and the reality of pain and suffering. Such realism rings in the stories she tells and in the ideas she explores. In doing so she leads you beyond the search for your own significance to the reasons you have for your hope of discovering God.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

We are not okay, says Pippert. Christians have lied in worshipping idols of health and wealth, in blaming others for their own sins, in pretending that the newly coverted have "arrived," and in avoiding genuine self-scrutiny. The Cross and Resurrection give the power to change, as Christians learn to live these events in their own lives. No "cheap grace" here, but challenge from Christian tradition and contemporary society for deep reflection on one's own life in light of the Gospel, human reason, and meditation.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Carries the fundamental teachings and realities of Christ into the heart of our contemporary distress. . . . The teaching is deep, the stories realistic, instructive and uplifting. I finished with tears of gratitude to God for his indescribable gift." (Dallas Willard, author of Hearing God )

"I am very glad that Becky's book is being reissued. In my earliest days planting a church in Manhattan I discovered that her Christian vision had deep appeal to many of the most secular and skeptical people. I personally learned much from her for my own preaching and teaching. I highly recommend this volume." (Timothy Keller, senior pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City )

"I can think of no greater burden than to live without hope. But for many of us hope is nothing more than a fingers-crossed human act of wishful thinking. In this powerful book Becky encourages us to take a brutally honest look at all that is true about our lives--and in the midst of that unsettling picture she shows us the source of our real hope. For those who live with doubt and shadows, the gift of this book is solid, well-reasoned faith and the light of the Son of God himself." (Sheila Walsh, author and Women of Faith keynote speaker )

"Few people have explored more profoundly than Rebecca Manley Pippert the uneasy gulf that separates modern secularism from traditional Christian interpretation of human nature. Ranging brilliantly from Camus to Freud and Nietzsche, Pippert diagnoses the various self-deceptions that people engage in to avoid the unpleasantness of true moral self-knowledge. The book is stunning. Not for a generation or more has anyone set forth so powerfully or movingly the Christian view that humanity's primary curse is a moral one and that the ultimate solution has already been made available to us." (David Aikman, senior fellow, Ethics and Public Policy Center )

"Shows a depth and sensitivity in its exploration of our humanity which is rare in our superficial age of formula answers . . . Discusses the complexities, ambiguities and struggles of human life with a candor which will touch the hearts of her readers--believers and nonbelievers alike. . . . [Pippert's] eloquence, honesty, intelligence and faith shine brilliantly." (Senator Mark Hatfield )

"Bekcy Pippert has done it again. In Hope Has Its Reasons she boldly confronts the unwillingness of our society to face the reality of sin and compellingly paints the panorama of hope and healing that the Scriptures so beautifully offer." (Charles Colson )

"Rebecca Pippert speaks to the question that haunts me almost every day of my life: What difference does God make? Her answers are clear but not facile, honest but hopeful, and above all truly Christian. She helped me where I hurt, taught me where I am ignorant, and made me hopeful where I despair." (Lewis B. Smedes, author of Forgive and Forget )

"Must reading for all who are searching for the meaning of life and are ready to do all that God's Spirit will reveal as necessary." (George A. Maloney, author of Called to Be Free )

"Becky Pippert reads widely, thinks clearly, believes fervently and writes beautifully. The result--a good read that gives reason for hope." (Jill Briscoe, author of Prayer That Works )

"A no-nonsense, practical book for those who have failed and don't know what to do about it." (Jamie Buckingham, author of Run Baby Run )

"Unless you are willing to be shaken and humbled, don’t read this book. But if you are . . . then read and begin your own journey along a road less traveled." (John White, author of The Fight )

"Gritty realism, passionate love and humorous holiness fuse in these pages and energize mere reading into a lively conversation with [Pippert's] companions on the Way." (Eugene H. Peterson, author of A Long Obedience in the Same Direction )

"This extraordinary book makes God's grace more amazing than ever, and you will find yourself 'lost in wonder, love and praise.' " (David A. Seamands, author of Healing for Damaged Emotions )

"A gripping and inspiring account of the discovery of a new life of faith. The author adds zest to the new dialogue between evangelical Christians, Catholic and Protestant. . . . A refreshing and deeply moving expression of the foundational truths of the gospel from which all our activity should flow." (Father Benedict J. Groeschel, author of Stumbling Blocks and Stepping Stones )

"A careful look at modern man's old-fashioned problem: sin. . . . [Pippert's] own observations and conversations, coupled with extensive references to great literature, make good reading, convincing reading." (Elisabeth Elliot, author of Gateway to Joy )

"Utilizing psychology, literature, personal experience and theology, [Pippert] develops a compelling case for the truth of Christianity with its existence-transforming message of faith and hope." (Vernon Grounds, past president, Evangelicals for Social Action )

"A book of divine discomfort, showing, among other things, how pride, anger and the failure to forgive others can masquerade as holiness." (Robert Siegal, author of Whalesong )

"No one in my experience has comprehended the breadth and length, the height and depth of the love of God like Becky Pippert. A realist of the first order, she maintains a faith of the highest order. Whatever cynicism is, Becky is the antithesis." (Richard C. Halverson, former chaplain of the United States Senate )

"A challenging and hopeful book for those who are weary of playing God yet frightened of surrendering to grace." (Macrina Wiederkehr, author of A Tree Full of Angels )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 197 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books; Revised edition (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083082278X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830822782
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #259,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rebecca Manley Pippert is an internationally known speaker who regularly lectures on spiritual renewal, evangelism and character formation for church conferences, at schools and colleges and in pastoral training seminars. She has also written several popular books on evangelism and Christian living. Her bestselling book Out of the Saltshaker has sold more than a half-million copies worldwide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes It Does!, April 9, 2008

By 

China Mike (East Asia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hope Has Its Reasons: The Search to Satisfy Our Deepest Longings (Paperback)

Rebecca Pippert's work addresses the conundrum that we all face living in this world gone wrong. She challenges the reader not only with questions from the secular world, but also with a faulty Christian mind-set that white-washes over the suffering one experiences in both our private and public worlds. Rhetoric from the public media and the pulpit are scrutinized in the light of the Gospel; that message, which uniquely addresses the suffering we encounter in our existence through the cross; and the hope and the life presented us through the resurrection. Despite the sound bites of the world which end in either hype or hypocrisy, Rebecca Pippert forces us to think about not only the evil that is apparent in the world, but our own internalized evil as well. She reminds us that a faith based upon Christ necessitates that we look at the nature of our sin within and without, and that God offers us a unique outlook and hope in addressing it.

This is truly a marvelous work, which I read over 10 years ago. Many of the anecdotes and lessons that Mrs. Pippert has made have stayed with me to this day. It is a precious resource, which may be used for a deeper Christ-centered life or for assisting others in explaining the Gospel. It is a poignant work deserved to be read and referred to in one's faith.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent work on understanding the Cross, February 13, 2006

By 

M. Fletcher (Phoenix, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hope Has Its Reasons: The Search to Satisfy Our Deepest Longings (Paperback)

This is the first, of many books, I've read that has really helped me grasp the key concept of the Cross and Resurrection. Pippert is a lucid, pentrating, and comes across as a well-educated and respected woman of theology. This book will appeal to anyone who wants to approach the idea of true Christian transformation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book to Share with a non-Christian Friend, October 18, 2008

By 

Brian G Hedges (South Bend, Indiana) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hope Has Its Reasons: The Search to Satisfy Our Deepest Longings (Paperback)

This is a fresh and helpful book that explores the basic contours of the Christian faith. Rebecca Pippert explores the human condition by showing that the problem in the world lies in our own hearts (chapter 1). We're not okay (chapter 2), neither are we in charge (chapter 3). The problem is that we worship the wrong things (chapter 4). Only God can satisfy our deepest longings - the brokenness of our lives results from seeking that satisfaction in other things - relationships, wealth, sex, pleasure, status, etc. This idolatrous worship is sin (chapter 5) The answer to our woes is found in the gospel: the story of Jesus crucified and risen (chapters 6-7). When we respond to the gospel in honest confession and a life of genuine repentance, we are changed (chapter 8). The Christian life is an appropriation of the gospel, as live the cross in humble denial of self (chapter 9) and live the resurrection in joyful hope (chapter 10).

This is really an amazing book because it speaks with such poignancy to the human heart. Mrs. Pippert did not become a Christian until she was a young adult, and only after much struggle and wrestling with difficult philosophical questions. She addresses these questions carefully in this book, illustrating them with numerous conversations, anecdotes, and striking quotations from literature, philosophy, and psychology. Though I've been a Christian for many years, I found this book very moving and helpful.

I would especially recommend this as a book to give to your non-Christian friends. It is not a coercive book, but a thoughtful engagement with issues that most human beings face - loneliness, emptiness, suffering, despair - from a distinctly Christian perspective. This is a book that could be life-changing for you or someone you love.