Throughout history people have asked why, if God is both good and all-powerful, He doesn’t intercede to prevent pain and suffering in the world. Why does He allow war, genocide and other atrocities? Why does He allow innocent people, especially children, to suffer at times?

Other vexing questions come to mind: Can we be forgiven? And how do we forgive others? Then there are the fears that come with everyday life: Will I be able to provide for my family? How do I achieve peace of mind and overcome anxiety? At the global level, we are faced with the fear of nuclear disaster, and we wonder if there is anything we can do to prevent the environmental ruin of the earth.

Answers to these kinds of questions are possible. Each issue of Vision magazine tries to make them known, as does this collection of essays and interviews from Vision publisher David Hulme.

Uncertainty, fear, hardship and suffering are all realities of the human condition. Every generation has had to deal with them, and they are not going to go away as long as human nature prevails. But we can develop an understanding and a perspective that helps us find true peace of mind in spite of these realities.

Each of the following essays tackles some aspect of these big questions and offers another way of viewing them. It’s not about hiding one’s head in the sand or believing that ignorance is bliss. On the contrary, each article takes a practical look at the underlying causes of the big questions and problems humanity faces and offers workable solutions. At the heart of this alternative perspective is the conviction that the answers are spiritual in nature. Whether it is coming to acceptance of hardship and tragedy that is not one’s fault, or finding a pathway out of a difficult trial caused by one’s own failings, there is a change that must take place in the heart and mind. And in that realization lies the biggest question we face: Can I really change my human nature? Several of the concluding chapters in this book deal directly with that question. We think you will be encouraged by the answers.