Hell is an Extension of God's Love

Society paints a picture of hell as being a place where God's wrath eternally tortures those unfortunate enough to go against Him. Due to this depiction, it is one of the deterrents from learning more about God and His doctrine, as that is a difficult way to picture a God that is as loving as His followers claim.

I believe the opposite is true. That the creation of hell was, in fact, an extension of the eternal and true love of God.

God, in His love, created each person with free will. This meant that in order for free will to be true, He needed to allow people to choose to live without Him. God's nature is shown through His creation on earth and in heaven. He is in light, companionship, fulfillment. Even those who do not believe in Him experience these, because there is no place on earth to escape the extensions of His character. In order to truly give free will, God needed to create a place where His presence would not reach, so that if mankind would so choose, they could make the choice to go where He was not.

The Bible describes hell as being a place of eternal isolation and emptiness. This is the reality of life without God. If God is love, than hell could not have love, if free will was to be to its fullest extent. If God is companionship, hell is isolation. If God is light, hell is darkness. If God is fulfillment, hell is emptiness. Hell is the absence of God, and therefore the absence of every characteristic that God is. If free will was to be to its fullest extent, than there needed to be an option to refuse God and every characteristic that He is, if that is a choice.

I Choose

I choose Love.
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose Joy.
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse temptation to be cynical. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by and made in the image of God.I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose Peace.
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose Patience.
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose Kindness.
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for that is how God has treated me.

I choose Goodness.
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose Faithfulness.
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My friends will not question my word. And my family will not question my love.

I choose Gentleness.
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose Self-Control.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then when this day is done I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

Amen.

Soul-deep Beauty

Light in the Darkness

My wonderful Adonai,
You are my Shepherd. I trust You to lead me and protect me through every situation. If You walk me through the valley of the shadow of death, I hold Your hand and trust Your plans. If You release my hand, I know it is to prepare the way ahead, and that You are never too far to rush back to my side if need be. Though I trust You wholeheartedly, my heart is fickle, so I pray that You forgive me if I have weak moments of fear. You will rescue me from darkness, but love me enough to allow me to fight battles that You know I can win, to strengthen and grow my faith. I find joy in my struggles because they are never hopeless. I find beauty in temptations because my Jesus was tempted and never gave in, and You live in me and enable me to do the same. I rejoice in hardships because through my devotion and attitude, others will see You at work in me and glorify Your name, and desire to know You more. Amazing Adonai, I pray that I will never miss an opportunity to bring You praise through my actions and attitudes. I pray that when I fail and feel discouraged, You will hold me close and set me upright once more.

Amen.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12-13

My Heart's Prayer

My Deliverer. My Redeemer. My Rock and my Shield. My Adonai.
I want to be close to Your heart. Your thoughts are so precious to me, Beloved. I want to draw close to You, to sit at Your feet and hear You speak. I want to run through Your rain and feel Your love and healing wash me clean. I desire You so much, Adonai. You are my security and guard of my heart. I entrust my full heart to You. I know you will hold it safe until the right man asks it from Your hand. Give me the faith and strength to wait, Adonai. Comfort me in my insecurities and hold me close. Wrap me in Your powerful love. Fill me up so I desire nothing more but more of You. I want nothing more than to be complete and whole in Your embrace. I trust Your plans for my life and know You'll reveal them to me in Your good timing. You are ever faithful, and these trials are meant to strengthen me by Your permissive will. All Your ways are great, and I will follow You wherever You lead. Have patience with my hesitations, Adonai, for they are not of You. Grant me peace when I travel through darkness and unsurety. I will hold fast to Your heart, Adonai. I praise You in the storms of my life.
Amen.

A Prayer of True Contentment

I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God, is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.

Love For My Beloved

Spectacular. Indescribably. Euphoric. Endless.

Love is a word that has lost its full meaning. This is the relationship I have with my Christ, my Bridegroom, my Beloved. I am driven by the desire to constantly be in the presence of the focus of my affection, and He consumes my thoughts. I want Him. I need Him. Without Him, my life is incomplete.

Unconditional affection and adoration  no limits or conditions. I trust Him with my life and would do anything to make Him proud. I want nothing more than to do everything it takes to bring Him joy. His will supersedes me own because I care so much for Him and really want to do right by Him. I hide nothing of myself and reveal to Him every secret and hidden part of my heart and trust that He will never turn me away and accept me just the way I am, and love me enough to challenge me to be better.

He's the last thing I think about before I go to sleep and the first thing on my mind when I awake. He warms my heart just by being who He is and I am often washed in an overcoming flood of peace and unworthiness. I want to do what I know will bring a smile to His perfect face.

It's love for my Beloved that makes me want to do anything and sacrifice everything for the wonderful things I know He put in place ahead. I know I am secure in His arms and my future is brilliantly and overwhelmingly brighter because of who He is and what He's done. I've found the One who my soul loves, and I'll never let Him go.