Book Review: Cry of the Soul

Talk of emotion often makes Christians squirm. We may give a nod to emotions, primarily to acknowledge our need to keep them under control. Whether stated or not, too many Christians operate from the assumption that a godly person is one who suppresses negative emotions. Positive emotions are accepted, but only if they are not too extreme.  In other words, for many, the Christian is to be a thinker, not a feeler. But the Bible is a book filled with emotion.

In their excellent book The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions About God (1994), Dan Allender and Tremper Longman III have invited the readers to explore the language of emotion, in our own lives and through the words of Scripture, particularly in the Psalms. They encourage us to look into our shame, and fear, and sadness and ask what those emotions tell us about who God is.

Cry of the Soul is an excellent book. If you wish to develop a deeper understanding of your emotional life and of your relationship with God, this is a great place to begin.