Clear as mud

I have struggled mightily with writing the most important chapter of my book; the chapter where I accept Jesus as my Savior. A couple of the people who are proofing the book and giving me feedback are not believers. You might think that odd, since this is a book about finding personal redemption, but it is entirely natural to me.

God led me to these people in an unusual way, I don’t have time to go into the details of that, but it makes perfect sense for me to allow non-believers to read and give me feedback for this book. Since my book is written primarily to non-believers anyway, it is very helpful to listen to their questions and comments at this early stage of editing it.

I was far more bitter towards God than them and had literally sunk to the lowest levels of humanity. How could I change so dramatically? I was agnostic in part because there was no scientific proof. Think about it. None of our five senses, touch, smell, sight, sound, or taste can be utilized to find God. He is in another dimension and non-believers find it extremely difficult to believe in something that none of their five senses can detect. God is spirit.

One passage I wrote defined the very moment that I felt God enter my heart, “In the midst of severe excruciating pain and mental anguish to the millionth power, a feeling of gentle calm slowly descended upon me blanketing me from head to toe, instantly quelling my panic. It was as if on command the frenetic chaos of the storm obediently subsided and yielded to the peace of God.”

One of my focus group readers told me that he wanted to know more about this feeling because he had never experienced such a phenomenon.

In the following paragraph I included the following passage, “Just then I remembered a verse in the Bible, Be anxious for nothing, and let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ I don’t know how that verse came to my mind. I had taken copious notes while reading the Bible and had recorded verse after verse in my little notebook, but I did not remember that particular Scripture or indeed if that was the exact wording, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. Peace of God which surpasses all understanding’, that verse describes how I feel more accurately than a thousand words.”

Actually words are inadequate to describe the feeling I had when I felt God enter my heart. Do you remember what it was like when God entered your heart at the very moment that you accepted Him as your Savior? Did the hair on your neck stand on end as you felt His holy presence? Were you overwhelmed with tears of joy? It is difficult to put into words is it not? Please pray for me that I get this part of the book right.

If only the secular person had a point of reference, but I cannot find anything that compares. I was thumbing through the Bible this morning trying to find an answer to improving this chapter and I stopped suddenly at the verse below. I am not going to worry about getting this right anymore. I don’t understand grace, but I understand perfectly. Hmmm

2 Cor. 12:9
And He said to me, “My grace is
sufficient for you, for My strength is
made perfect in weakness.