Analysis Of Jerry Sittser's A Grace Disguised

Introduction
It was dark as they drove down a deserted stretch of highway. Headlights appeared in the distance, approaching rapidly…too fast. A curve in the road; a head-on collision, and lives are forever changed. In A Grace Disguised, Jerry Sittser describes his journey from the horrific tragedy of watching his wife, his mother, and his four-year-old daughter die on that dark and lonely road; sorting through overwhelming grief while tackling the practical, everyday challenges of caring for his remaining three children who also experienced the tragedy; grappling with tough questions about God, and finally finding a place of contentment, gratitude, and grace. The underlying theme throughout the book comes down to choices, as Sittser resolves

He is careful to acknowledge that there are all kinds of loss and suffering, different in type and intensity, yet loss and suffering all the same (pp. 31-32). Sittser’s admits he had led a blessed life prior to the accident compared to many or most people in the world. Perhaps that leads to even more surprise and devastation at such a loss. According to Sittser, “Sudden and tragic loss leads to terrible darkness” (p. 40). As he looks to God and examines the options, Sittser realizes he has a choice: he could either run from the darkness or embrace it. “In choosing to face the night, I took my first steps toward the sunrise,”

But, how does one come to a place of forgiveness toward the perpetrator of such anguish? Sittser says unforgiveness “is as ruinous as a plague,” (136). He explores what true forgiveness looks like and what it is not (pp. 132-146), and draws the conclusion, “In the end, I wonder whether it is really possible to forgive wrongdoers if we do not trust God first,” (p.146). When faced with the plague of unforgiveness or the gift of forgiveness, which “in the end brings freedom to the one who gives it” (p. 143), Sittser choses forgiveness, for his sake and that of his children