Long Nights Journey Into Day

On any spiritual pilgrimage, Christians face tremendous challenges to their faith not just from outside forces, but from their own inner struggles. Pastor White (Life-Defining Moments; Rethinking the Church) convincingly argues that the historical seven deadly sins still occupy a prominent position in most Christians’ lives. White describes these pitfalls in a disarmingly personal style that will leave no reader feeling immune to these common human frailties. Specifically, White expounds upon journeying from anger to restraint, sloth to diligence, gluttony to moderation, envy to security, greed to contentment, lust to self-control, pride to humility. His success in communicating the seriousness of each of these pitfalls is balanced with his pastoral heart, which emanates sincerity and care throughout this solid, if not particularly riveting, read. His suggestions on dealing with anger, for example, are helpful but familiar. White tells readers to defuse anger by accepting that things will not always go their way, realizing that no one else causes another person’s anger, and celebrating the fact that it is possible to rule their own emotions. Overshadowing every caution and cure described here is White’s undimmed confidence in the power of Christ to aid those followers who desire to know God more fully and are thereby freely and joyfully transformed.