BOOK REVIEW
THE SHREDDED MAN
I had the joy and privilege to write the Foreword to Isaac Oluwasesan’s book: The Shredded Man and he has given me permission to paste that below and also to give you a taste of the book by quoting some of his chapter about waiting for God’s timing in our lives that I think will be an inspiration to us all.
My Foreword:
As soon as I started to read just the Preface of this book, I started to cry, not big rolling tears, but it immediately touched me on the inside because I instinctively knew that it could be a great blessing and help to many. It is extremely rare for a book to have that effect on me, so I continued to read with great anticipation, and it did not disappoint.
From the start, the author is breathtakingly honest about his sins and failures and what he has learned from his own experience. This qualifies him to speak to us and show us from Scripture how men like Jacob, Samson, David and Jonah made fundamental mistakes with vast consequences, how God dealt with them, what we can learn from them and how to avoid making the same mistakes.
In a world of constant pressure to succeed, so many men find themselves failing and missing the mark even on their own goals and aspirations, and however much they may cover it up, in private they are ashamed and lost.
In an age of frenetic haste, with information at the click of a button and the expectation of instant results, this book shows us the importance of waiting upon God’s purpose and plan.
And going along with that, the inestimable value of investing time and effort in true friendships is profoundly explored. Isaac’s account of how his wife became his best friend made me cry again.
The chapter on the baggage that men carry is a revelation. Every man should read and take notice of the advice on how to deal with the hidden issues that, at best, are burdens that hinder our progress by weighing us down, or, at worst, are unexploded bombs waiting to blow up.
This book offers hope and direction for men of all ages and situations, across all careers and ministries, and shows how God responds to our human failures with love, forgiveness, and grace.
There are many memorably wise statements in this profound and beautifully written book. I encourage you to note them down as you come across them.
This one stands out because it is a deep underlying and recurring theme: “Failure is not final with God.” This book shows us that restoration is freely and profoundly available and that through Christ we are not victims but victors.
As Isaac says at the end of the book: “This book is not a manual for perfect men. It is a cry from one shredded man to another: You are not alone. You are not finished…”
When I read the epilogue, I cried again.
I commend this life-transforming book to you. Take the time and trouble to read it. It will repay dividends to you personally as it has to me, then pass the blessing on by loaning it to someone else, or better still, buying copies of it to enrich the lives of other men you know - and encourage them to pass it on too!
Here is a sample of the wonderful truths that this book contains, and which apply equally to women as well as men:
THE DIVINE STRATEGY OF WAITING
Life often brings us into seasons of waiting, seasons that many of us, in our modern, fast-paced lives, find difficult to bear, accept, and navigate with grace.
Waiting is not an anomaly; it is an inherent, inescapable, and fundamental part of the human experience, woven into the very fabric of life itself. Paradoxically, in our contemporary, hyper-accelerated world characterized by instant communication, rapid delivery, and immediate gratification, waiting is often viewed not as a potential blessing, a crucible for growth, or a divine strategy, but rather as an inconvenient burden, an unnecessary impediment, or even a form of cosmic punishment…
When we are faced with the necessity to wait, whether for deeply personal desires to materialise, for long-standing prayers to be answered, for clear divine direction in pivotal moments, or for the realisation of a cherished dream, we often find ourselves grappling with impatience, frustration, and even spiritual doubt.
The inherent complexity and often mysterious nature of divine timing can be perplexing, even maddening, to our finite human minds. We may discover ourselves immersed in seasons of waiting that feel utterly interminable, stretching out before us like a vast, barren desert. In these desolate periods, hope can feel incredibly distant, receding further with each passing day, and we often succumb to agonizing questions: Has God forgotten our pressing needs? Has He overlooked our earnest desires? Is His promise truly still valid?
However, as we embark on a deeper, more intentional exploration into the rich, transformative lessons that the act of waiting can so impart, we slowly but surely begin to grasp a liberating truth: that our Lord is, in fact, the ultimate, infinitely wise master planner, a divine architect who orchestrates the intricate steps of humanity with unimaginable precision, perfect timing, and ultimate, benevolent purpose. His delays are not denials, but part of a grander design…
One of the most compelling, illuminating, and biblically rich narratives that unmistakably illustrates the transformative power of waiting is the epic story of David.
Anointed by the prophet Samuel as a humble young shepherd boy, possessing seemingly little worldly status or political influence, David’s destined journey to the esteemed kingship of Israel was by no means a swift, effortless ascent to power. Instead, it was a deliberate, protracted, and divinely orchestrated process, marked by a demand for patience, resilience, and the profound, often painful development of exceptional character.
After receiving the sacred anointing from the prophet Samuel, David did not immediately ascend to the throne of Israel, nor did he assume his destined regal authority. Instead, he spent a significant portion of his early adult life, a full seven years, in a crucible of waiting, ruling only over the tribe of Judah in the city of Hebron, before God’s perfect timing eventually allowed him to become king over all of Israel.
This protracted period of waiting in David’s life was not, in any sense, a sign of God’s inability to fulfil His majestic promises, nor was it an indication of divine forgetfulness or powerlessness. On the contrary, it was an essential, divinely mandated phase of preparation, purification, and character development. God, with His infinite foresight and perfect wisdom, knew with absolute certainty that David needed to be thoroughly transformed, pruned, and divinely shaped to develop the precise qualities, the necessary wisdom, and the spiritual maturity indispensable for a successful, righteous, and enduring reign over His chosen people.
THE WILDERNESS BEFORE THE CROWN
Long before David ever ruled from Hebron, God had already spoken His promise over his life. Samuel anointed him as king while he was still a young shepherd boy. Yet the fulfilment of that promise would not come quickly.
Instead of moving directly from anointing to authority, David entered years of preparation. He served faithfully, fought Goliath, and gained favour among the people. Yet he also became the object of Saul's jealousy and spent years fleeing for his life. David lived in caves, wandered through wilderness regions, and endured seasons of uncertainty that must have tested his faith.
During those years, God was doing more than protecting David. He was preparing him. The future king was learning dependence, humility, endurance, and leadership. It was also during this period that David gathered the men who would later become his mighty warriors. What appeared to be a season of delay was actually a season of preparation.
Perhaps the greatest evidence of David's maturity was seen in his response to Saul. More than once he had an opportunity to kill the king and claim the throne that had already been promised to him. Yet David refused to seize by force what God had promised by grace. He chose to wait for God's timing rather than create his own. The wilderness was not wasted. Before God entrusted David with a kingdom, He first shaped the man who would lead it
David’s life, therefore, stands as a vivid, enduring illustration of a vital, immutable truth: Waiting is not a passive experience; it is, in fact, a divine strategy employed by God to prepare, lovingly prune, and perfectly shape us for the monumental assignments, the divine callings, and the weighty responsibilities that lie ahead in our spiritual journeys.
This realisation should fill every struggling heart with immense hope, providing deep reassurance and a sense of divine purpose, knowing that your current season of waiting, no matter how arduous or prolonged, is by no means in vain. Instead, it is an incredibly potent and effective tool for your transformation, making you fit for the kingly responsibilities God is preparing.
As we sincerely reflect on the intricate unfolding of our personal lives, we must candidly ask ourselves: Have you ever felt perpetually stuck in a holding pattern? In this frustrating loop, time seems to stand still. Do you find yourself currently navigating a season that drags on with agonizing slowness, seemingly devoid of any tangible progress, any discernible movement, or any clear path forward?
Before allowing the insidious tendrils of despair, frustration, or hopelessness to take root in your heart, it is essential to pause deliberately, quiet your anxious thoughts, and fervently seek God’s divine guidance and clarifying wisdom. In these moments, humbly and earnestly ask Him if the current wait is, in fact, an integral and intentional part of His divine process for you, a period of refinement and preparation.
When we truly grasp, deep within our spirits, that waiting is not a void but a divine strategy, a purposeful act of God, we then begin to view our challenging circumstances through an entirely different lens: a lens of faith, anticipation, and trust in His sovereign hand.
THE NATURE OF GOD’S TIMING
In our perpetually fast-paced, technologically driven, and instantly gratifying world, it is incredibly easy, almost inevitable, to succumb to the corrosive temptation of impatience. We are conditioned to desire immediate results, to expect our prayers to be answered instantaneously, and for our personal plans and aspirations to materialise without any delay or hindrance.
Waiting is not, fundamentally, a punishment from a capricious God; on the contrary, it is a sacred workshop, a divine crucible where the Almighty God moulds, refines, and shapes His beloved children. It is during these periods that He painstakingly removes what is unnecessary, redundant, or even detrimental to our spiritual growth, while simultaneously strengthening, solidifying, and sharpening what is essential, indispensable, and foundational for the next phase of our lives and divine assignments.
Throughout the sacred Scriptures, we encounter numerous compelling examples of individuals who, despite their remarkable faith, experienced prolonged and often arduous periods of waiting.
Abraham, the patriarch of faith, waited for decades, a seemingly insurmountable period, for the miraculous fulfilment of God’s promise of a son, Isaac, through whom nations would be blessed.
Moses, the mighty deliverer, spent a staggering 40 years in the desolate wilderness, tending sheep, before being called by God from the burning bush to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage to the Promised Land.
The Apostle Paul, arguably one of the greatest missionaries in Christian history, endured years of excruciating trials, relentless persecution, and unjust imprisonment before he could fully carry out his monumental mission to spread the transformative Gospel message to the Gentile world.
Each of these extraordinary individuals underwent a profound, often painful, and spiritually transformative process during their respective waiting periods. This divine curriculum rigorously equipped them with the wisdom, fortitude, patience, and spiritual authority necessary for the monumental tasks and weighty responsibilities that providentially lay ahead.
Regrettably, and at a high spiritual cost, many individuals, consumed by impatience or self-will, have impetuously rushed out of God’s divine waiting room, attempting to force open doors that God intended to remain shut for a season. In their haste, they have often found themselves tragically ill-prepared, spiritually undone, or metaphorically “half-baked,” lacking the essential character, wisdom, or maturity required for the next level.
Some, in their anxious eagerness, have forced their way into premature blessings or positions, inadvertently missing the full, complete, and abundant measure of God’s perfect purpose for their lives, their families, and their ministries.
The waiting period, therefore, is not a void of inactivity but a vibrant, dynamic time when God is at work, orchestrating the intricate alignment of circumstances, refining our character, and divinely preparing us, from the inside out, for the next glorious chapter of our lives. It is a period of grace-filled gestation.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PATIENCE
Patience is not merely a passive state of enduring discomfort; it is a virtue, a spiritual discipline, which is often rigorously tested, challenged, and painstakingly forged during prolonged periods of waiting.
It is precisely during these crucible moments that we are presented with a stark, binary choice: we can either choose to draw closer to God, allowing the trial to refine our faith and deepen our intimacy with Him, or we can allow the insidious tendrils of frustration, bitterness, and anger to take root, subtly leading us astray from His perfect will.
The Holy Bible emphasises the supreme importance of cultivating and demonstrating patience in multiple passages. In Romans 12:12 (ESV), we are given a direct and encouragement: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
This pivotal verse eloquently highlights that true patience is by no means a passive endeavour, a mere resigned acceptance of fate; instead, it demands active engagement with God through persistent prayer, hope, and joyful anticipation. This divine instruction should serve to reassure you of your inherent spiritual capacity not only to endure but also to grow exponentially and flourish spiritually during your present season of waiting, no matter how challenging it may seem.
The act of waiting, in its purest form, can indeed be likened to a crucible, a severe test, a refining furnace, a place where the authenticity of our faith is rigorously tested, purified, and strengthened. It is entirely natural and human to experience feelings of pervasive anxiety, acute frustration, or even anger during these periods of prolonged uncertainty and delayed gratification.
However, the spiritual wisdom lies in recognising these emotions and consciously choosing to channel them in the right, God-honouring direction directly toward God Himself, rather than allowing them to consume us or lash out at others. Instead of permitting impatience to cast its dark shadow over our faith, dimming our spiritual light, we possess the transformative choice to consciously embrace the wait as an invaluable opportunity for spiritual growth, character development, and deeper intimacy with our Creator.
There are further thoughts about this subject in the chapter entitled “The Wait” and I hope that this extended quote will inspire you to read the whole book!
It is available as a paperback on Amazon or it can be purchased as an eBook:
https://isaac-oluwasesan.systeme.io/the-shredded-man
(buying it this way gives you access to some wonderful resources online for free)