Sometimes, God’s greatest Acts of Grace come to us wrapped in pain, sorrow, or trials. You might at first, say, “How? Why would that be an act of grace?” There would perhaps have been a time, I would have wanted to agree with you. But you see, as I look back over my life; I realize that it was through those darkest of nights that I sought God with all my heart and soul. It was the lonely broken heart fighting to make sense of abuse, cancer, illness, and loneliness which searched longingly in the scripture. There in the early hours before dawn as I searched for answers; I found God’s Grace sufficient. In those early morning hours, I found hope, joy, peace, and love enough to sustain me for another day. It is a ritual I long for each morning, just to sit in His presence. Oh, yes, life will bring its trials, its pains, its fears; but, they cannot destroy the hope and the joy that I have found. In Christ, I may weep for a moment over the sorrows of this world; but, I will awaken before the dawn to sit a little while with Him. There I am restored. There I have hope. There I know how much I am loved. In Him, is fullness of joy evermore. 
An Act of Grace
By Effie Darlene Barba
As I look back over my life
Remembering the pain and strife
There were those nights of bitter tears
When I awoke heart full of fears
To stumble then to find my chair
Where I would sit alone in prayer
My Bible opened there I’d read
Of hope, of love, of all I need
Your songs of joy poured over me
Salvation’s song had set me free
And suddenly I saw a light
A thought that brought such pure delight
The pain had been Your act of Grace
To Cause this heart to seek Your face
And find in You, my love, my friend
This hope and joy will never end
And now, Dear Lord I know it’s true
All that I need I find in you
I leap to rise before daylight
To sit with You, my pure delight
And talk with You about each day
That I might find Your will, Your way
My Bible opened there I read
Of hope, of love, of all I need
Your songs of joy pour over me
Salvation’s song has set me free
And as each day with dawning light
New trials come as is life’s plight
Whatever comes it is Your Grace
Allowing me to seek Your face
I find in You, my love, my friend
This hope and joy will never end
The picture is used with permission of Ronald Barba, the artist. It is protected under copyright and can only be copied or reproduced with permission. To obtain copies you may go to http://fineartamerica.com/featured/broken-and-contrite-heart-ronald-barba.html
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016
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