Just Imagine…

Picture this: Beautiful, lush greenery… colorful birds flitting & flying above & around you… the sound of chirps & kitten purrs & peaceful wild animals trodding about… sunny skies & calm breezes brushing against your warm skin… smelling rich aromas of flowers & the fresh scent of clean air filling your lungs… walking barefoot in soft, green grass beside God as a confidant & friend, protector & creator, loving you so fully that you feel no hint of fear or worry at all in the world.

That is my best visualization of the Garden of Eden.

All It Was Meant to Be

The Garden of Eden was literally meant to be a safe haven of perfection, full of acceptance, love, & pure joy. Just imagine how amazingly & breath-takingly beautiful & serene it was!

And yet, that one tree, with that one kind of fruit that was forbidden by God… that because of one rebellious act would eventually blur, distort, & crumble the beautiful life we were created to live out in that wonderful garden.

Let’s Go There

What was the big deal about that fruit? How could it really, seriously doom the human species to live in this broken, sin-filled world we now call home?

How could God claim compassion & even allow us to eat it… or doom the world because it got eaten?

Let’s go there.

Forbidding Was a Reflection of His Goodness & Love

For many people who become followers of Christ, we can sometimes just tend to accept the fact that it happened… the rule not to eat the forbidden fruit, the eating of the fruit, & the curse on mankind as a result… without actually stopping to consider how Him forbidding it really reflects the GOODNESS & GREAT LOVE of God.

Give me a second to explain why I specify it as an act of Goodness & Love on God’s part.

The Knowledge of Good & Evil… But Not the Capacity to Manage it…

Let’s start with the purpose & nature of that fruit. It was called “the fruit of the knowledge of good & evil.”

Think about human life now. The tendency toward stress, anxiety, hurriedness, failures, pride, selfishness, weaknesses, mental illnesses, major mistakes, hurts, fears, insecurities… & so much more that we fight to prevent throughout our lives.

Now, think about what that tree offered. The KNOWLEDGE of good & evil…. Not the wisdom of how to process or manage it. Not the knowledge of how it all fits together & how to best work it all together… just the knowledge OF it.

Why We Should Have Trusted God & Should Do So Every Day & Forever

And here is where God’s gracious, all-knowing, all-wise, ALL-LOVING GOODNESS comes into fuller display….

God knew that yes, we would gain that knowledge, but that if we did, we would then be carrying a burden & weight on our shoulders that He never wanted or intended for us to struggle & hurt under.

We gained that knowledge, but being created beings, versus the CREATOR, we don’t have the capacity to carry that weight within our own limited understanding & wisdom, & under our own limited strength & power.

He Saw It All… He Knew… & He Warned Us

He knew it would wear us thin. He knew it would cause anger & hurt & tears. He knew it would result in misunderstandings & mishandling of that information, which would in turn hurt others along the way.

He saw the ripple effect that that knowledge of good & evil would create in our lives… & all He asked was for us to TRUST HIM enough to let Him handle it FOR US so we could just relax, in a trusting, loving, safe environment.

And He still asks you & I to trust Him in the now. To turn over what we do know & ask Him to be our guide & source of wisdom to navigate this difficult world.

We Still Choose to Eat the Fruit Every Day…

And that knowledge got passed down to us… & every day, in our own ways, we choose to take the bite ourselves.

WE want to make the decisions. WE want to make the choices. WE want to run things.

Even knowing the truth, I feel my flesh rearing up as if to say, “but I want to do things THIS way!”

So Hard to Trust That He Can Do It SO MUCH Better Than Us

That’s why submitting to His wisdom, His will, & His way feels so hard! Because of what we DO know, we think we have all there is to know to best guide our own lives, even with all of the limitations that limit us.

That’s why God asks us, even now, to take His hand & to trust Him as a little child trusts a strong, loving father.

God loves us so much that He never wanted that pain for us.

Then Why Even Create That TREE?!

Maybe this information is equally freeing & frustrating to you. Maybe you see the benefit of trusting Him, but feel hurt that He even gave us the option to doom ourselves.

So why was that fruit even created? Why even dangle that irresistibly forbidden fruit in front of Adam & Eve in the first place?

Why not just remove that temptation completely so that there would be no risk of damning the world & then we could just be free to enjoy God’s intended life in paradise & direct presence & relationship with God Almighty?

You Have No Choice, You MUST Love Me…

Would that feel like true, genuine love? To have no choice? A love that is forced?

We can want to be loved so badly that we can attempt to force it on people. We can try to be likable & a people pleaser & cling to someone we feel gives us worth, even in the midst of abuse or neglect, human nature clings to the need to feel loved.

But, can love be forced? No. Why not? Because true love grows out of trust. And trust cannot be forced on people.

God Designed Us to Experience True, Unconditional Love in His Presence

God wasn’t designing us to be forced to love Him. He designed us to experience His love genuinely, built from genuine trust & relationship with Him.

So, maybe He put the tree there to allow Adam & Eve the choice to either trust in Him or to trust in themselves instead…

He wanted us to know His love through trust. He wanted us to obey, not because He felt like controlling us, but because we learn to trust Him completely.

But That Was Adam & Eve… Not ME! So Why Does the Curse Affect Me Too?

Well, as I mentioned earlier, we choose to take that bite ourselves almost every day, as we seek to live according to our limited wisdom & design.

But, there IS hope!

The Punishment Is for Our Good

Apart from the fact that we face natural consequences of wrong or misguided decision-making on our part, God also made life more difficult than it was meant to be… And He did it to bring us back to Himself.

If everything was just as easy as the Garden of Eden, we wouldn’t realize what greatness we were missing out on. We wouldn’t feel the need to look for something more. Or Someone more.

It serves as a reminder & a prod to come back under His protection & care & to allow Him to remove the burdens we face every day as a result of that knowledge of good & evil, so we may rest peacefully in His love instead.

Everything He does is just. Everything He does is His right.

And Then There’s Jesus

Everything God does is marked by His love & graciousness that He offers us in every moment that we turn to Him, & for all eternity if we accept His free gift of Jesus’ life for our debt.

You see, God is perfectly just & yes, He demands a debt be paid for our rebellion. BUT, He also LOVES us infinitely, despite our stubborn rejection.

And because of His perfect LOVE, He also sent Jesus to pay that debt FOR US, if we but accept Him.

He Is God

Turn to Him. Submit under His leadership. Ask HIM to HELP YOU trust Him.

Let me say that again, because every single one of us needs to grow in this, whether it be a pastor, the “worst” sinner, or anyone in between…

Ask HIM to HELP YOU trust Him more every day.

He is God. We are not. And that is OKAY.

Let Him be God.

He Takes Joy in Forgiveness & Redemption

Let Him cover you in HIS love, HIS power, HIS grace, HIS joy, HIS peace, HIS assurance.

He is waiting, always… & willing.

He is not there with crossed arms & a tapping foot, pointing at you, like, “Look what you’ve done! And NOW you want me to help you? HA!”

No.

He has His arms wide, a big grin on His face, waiting every moment without fail to welcome you home, with a, “Darling One, come close! Let me hug you! Let me help you! Let me cleanse you & refresh you & give you a new start. I love you always & always have, my precious daughter & I have been waiting so eagerly to welcome you home!”

Shine Hope, by trusting Him.

It’s worth everything.

Coming Next Week

Join me next Monday morning EST for some more encouragement, & next Thursday for our monthly Special Feature post! Make sure to “Join My Tribe” (subscribe) so you don’t miss out!

A Note from Michelle:

If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3

Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!

Weekly Special Spotlight:

Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!

Inverted Capiz Earrings

These earrings feature shimmery, creamy white capiz shells, each framed by a black edge.

Artisan Information:

In the Philippines, finding employment as a woman in poverty can be extremely difficult. Poor working conditions, lack of job security, & unfair pay are often the realities. Through your purchase, these women are receiving an income, health care, & social development programs. This allows these women to realize their potential & pursue their dreams in a safe environment. You have the opportunity to change lives!

Purchase this piece & empower a woman in the Philippines!

Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!