Grace and God

"Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors" is a line in a book that I am currently reading and it reminded me so much of the many times that I have wondered why our world is in such a state of dishevel and why crime is so prevalent.

Many times I have said to myself that I don't understand why God created men to be abusive to their wives, men that are sick and abuse children, women and men that harm their own children. Many times I have questioned why God has allowed so much evil into the world. Today, while reading a book, I realize that God is not the one allowing it to happen. Society is the force allowing it to happen. We have tried to control our lives in our way and not allow God to work in His way.

Starting with the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve, God did not tempt Eve to take that apple. The serpent did and God did not make her eat it, instead of asking God what she should do or simply knowing that God did not want her to eat it, she made her own decision to accept that bite and allowed the choice to be one that allowed all humans after her to understand the ability to make choices and those choices are what has consumed our world and our lives. Those choices are why so much evil lives in the world today. God does not want our children to die to teach us some lesson or to punish us for something. God wants us in a relationship with Him that we talk daily and share all of our lives with Him. He wants us to live a fear free life, but we allow fear to enter in.

I am reading the book " The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. If you have not read it, I recommend that you get it today and take the time to read it and enjoy it. Think as you read about the amazing lesson that it teaches, think about the words and search your soul as you read each chapter. It deals with so many of the emotions and thoughts that we have. It is a powerfully written book with a story that makes the words leap off of the page. I am only on chapter 14 and I know that my world has changed as I have read the words. I won't share the story line and I wont ruin any moments of the book by sharing too much here, but I want each of you to read this book and consider the lessons within.

I know my heart is clearer today as to what my relationship with God should be and my walk with Him will take a new stride from here on out. My views of what I thought God wanted are much different. I know my Bible well and I know what God done for me and I thought I knew what He wanted, but I have a new realization as to what some of the verses that I have thought were the plan of life are truly meaning and what I feel I need to do. Is there one plan to get to Heaven? Yes, I believe so but I also believe that many paths can lead to that same plan.

We may not all take the same lesson away from the book and some may question as to whether I truly know my Bible and trust me when I say, I do. My faith in what is God's will is not different, but the steps that I think will lead me there are different now. My love has been renewed and a change has been brought into my soul. I hope that you will read the book and find some of the same wonderful words that I have gained from it.

Grace will lead me on my path and lead me Home!  God bless each of you and know that love is what is truly meaningful in our lives. Love like you expect Jesus to love, but do not be judgmental as we all tend to be.

Amazon is a great place to order the book from. I hope you learn and discover as much as I have. I will be watching the movie at a later time but the book has been an eye opener for me.