Book Review: In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day

I recently read Mark Batterson's "In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day".

Prior to picking it up I'd heard everything from "it's amazing" to "it's okay". The reactions to it reminded me a little of what I heard regarding "Wild At Heart". For some the book seemed to be a revelation that changed their life, for others it was just okay. To each his (or her) own I suppose.

My take? It's a good book and one that I needed to read. Batterson brings out some great points with regard to how we view obstacles and challenges in our lives.

If you're not familiar, the book centers around the story of a guy named Benaiah, who chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it. He was also credited with killing an Egyptian giant and two of Moab's mightiest warriors. He goes on to become the head of King David's security detail and later the commanding officer of Israel's army. Not a bad career.

Batterson presents seven things we must do to be "Lion Chasers":
1. Defy the odds
2. Face our fears
3. Reframe problems
4. Embrace uncertainty
5. Take risks
6. Seize opportunities
7. Look foolish

While I won't spoil the content for you, the central thrust to me was essentially the idea that in order to be used by God we've got to to be okay with the discomfort of things like long odds, facing our fears, uncertainty, risks, etc. He claims - and is probably correct in this - that we are better off running toward the big challenges in life than trying to hide from them. Certainly if we are following God and He is leading us in the direction of a particular challenge we would be crazy not to face it head on. Maybe we'll "succeed", maybe we won't, but either way we're following God and that's the point.

Batterson makes a statement near the end of the book that I like: "I have an unshakable sense of destiny because I know that as long as I pursue God's calling on my life, then God is ultimately responsible for getting me where He wants me to go."

In that sense, the only real risk is not following where God is leading.

The book is a fairly quick read and worth picking up.