Yesterday we finished the chapter on Isolation in the Mending the Soul class. In a previous year I had written that I thought this chapter would be an easy one for me because I wasn’t isolating myself any longer. I had viewed isolation as meaning I kept my story to myself and did not talk about it with others. I was telling so I wasn’t isolating anymore. Well, the class brings out the truth that isolation is far bigger when we look how we isolate ourselves from God. We do this by “not trusting”, “not believing”, “ignoring nudges”. This list could get long, but this truth was one all of us in class need to address.

At the end of class one of the guys who is struggling most asked, “Where are scriptures that say God gave man choice?” He was referencing that I had mentioned several times that because God gave man choice and would not interfere with it, man had the opportunity to abuse. What God promised is that He would provide a way of escape. I struggled with this tremendously throughout my lifetime so I knew exactly where he was coming from with the question. However, I didn’t have any particular verse to give him. I just said I’d investigate this and get back to all of them through the week. Yesterday, before all the kids and grandkids came, I googled and found a listing of 59 verses addressing “choice”. I made a document of them and sent them out asking God to use His Word to help His kids to better trust Him.

Leading this class is a continual reminder of all the work God has done in my life. The freedom I have in Christ today is grounded in solid rock when before it was only grounded in a slim hope. God is helping these men move from this slim hope to a much greater trust they’ve not known. It is so touching to watch and participate in this transformation. How Good our God is!