Love and trust

"One can obey God and yet not trust him, and in doing so miss out on a relationship with him. One cannot, however, trust God and be disobedient to him. For we shall see that all disobedience flows out of mistrust in God's nature and of his intentions toward us.

Thus the experience in the Garden wasn't to demand their obedience but to incubate their trust. He knew that the first step toward him might well be a step away from him in disobedience. He knew the lesson would be painful and costly- for him most of all- but he chose it because he desired people who would relate to him in love rather than obey him in fear. It would have been far easier to accomplish the latter, but God knew that love could flourish only where trust does, and that real trust could emerge only where people were free to reject it."

It really is easier to obey God out of fear than to trust him, and, in effect, to love him. Easier, sure... but way, way less fulfilling.

I would not trade my life now (and the consequent relationship with God) for any of the previous years of my life... no matter how much I thought I had what I wanted.