2 Anatomy of Grace - Partners in Glory

 "The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word "love" and look on things as if man were the center of them. Man is not the center. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. "Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the divine love may rest "well pleased"."

― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Matthew 13:17 “For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

I deliberately misspoke in my last post. When I said that the "most important" aspect of accepting and traveling through the whole picture of God's Grace was seeing humans in darkness come into the Light. That is a wonderful aspect of the path of Grace; however, the most significant reality is that we become partners in the glory of God. It is not our glory; it is His glory! Still, He allows us to share in experiencing His glory, as we take all that we learn, the great, the enjoyment, the difficult, and that which may even drive us to the point of despair. We share all of it with other human beings who are on the path of Grace in a season of suffering.

This reality is what I'm discovering in this journey that I am on. Mine began when I realized that my disease would force me to leave the place and ministry I had assumed the Lord wanted me in till I died or He returned. So instead of listening and following, I was moving at a much faster pace than He was, and I would go in the direction I wanted...and do it my way. 

He allowed that, which led me to do things and behave in ways that even now surprises me. What they were, I will share with you in detail someday when the Lord leads me to do so. More essential now is to try and encourage you from what I'm discovering. I was finally on the list to get my hip replacement surgery when basically I lost my insurance. So I'm off the list, and God's Grace took me to a different doctor with another insurance. I'm only a week out of that decision now, yet, I discovered the hospital where the surgery takes place is the top-rated hospital in the state for hip and knee replacement! My doctor has an incredible 18-year track record. 

Hallelujah, you say, so did I, but I also found out the other hospital was inaccurate about my height. There were no evil intentions, just fudging the facts to get me on the list. I am not 5'8" anymore! At 65, I have shrunk to 5'7". So to be on a list for the surgery, after losing 52 pounds, I have to lose another 20 by August 11 when my "pre-op" appointment takes place! They want to do the surgery on August 19. BOOM! Discouragement, which leads to the temptation to be angry and throw a major pity party for myself.

I started down that path. By Gods Grace, I stopped and listened to the Spirit of God and the encouragement of my wife. I realized that I am still on the path of Grace in a season of difficulty. There's a lot of character fruit that God is accomplishing. He's trying to teach me how to receive His Grace as He gives it, not how the false teachers teach it. No matter what my theology is, I'm still a sinner, and believe it or not, I can very easily find myself trying to create my own path, which is built more on the health, wealth, and prosperity mindset. Not with the perspective displayed by all the prophets and so many other believers in the Scriptures. God's Grace does not lead to a bottom line of, you get what you want and demand! 

God's Grace leads to Christlike character and the realization that you have a living God Who does know everything; He sees what is best for you and intends you to possess it!

The So What: Where are you on the Grace path? How are you handling it?