Grace Is Greater: God's Plan to Overcome Your Past, Redeem Your Pain, and Rewrite Your Story

by Kyle Idleman

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews said, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God." Over the centuries much ink has been spilled on the subject of grace. Yet perhaps nothing is as hard to explain as God's grace. It doesn't make sense. It's not fair. It can't possibly cover over what I've done. The best way--perhaps the only real way--to understand it is to experience it. But too often in our churches we're not getting grace across and grace is not experienced.Bestselling author and pastor Kyle Idleman wants everyone to experience the grace of God. Through the powerful medium of story, Grace Is Greater leads readers past their hang-ups toward an understanding of grace that is bigger than our mistakes, our failures, our desire for revenge, and our seemingly impossible situations. No sin is so great, no bitterness so deep that God's grace cannot transform the heart and rewrite the story.Perfect for individuals and also for small groups and church-wide studies, Grace Is Greater will help readers truly grasp God's grace, even if the Christians around them have failed to live it.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Audiobook, Faith, Spirituality

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2017

About the author

Kyle Idleman is the teaching pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, the fifth largest church in America. The bestselling author of the award-winning book Not a Fan and AHA is a frequent speaker at conferences and events around the world. Kyle and his wife, DesiRae, have four children.

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. The author does an amazing job of going deep, bringing in humor and raw honesty. I loved how he continuously gave examples to connect the reader. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I can't imagine there is anyone who would not benefit greatly from this book, unless they've yet to experience coming face to face with their own inadequacies.

[Nathania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judul : Kasih Karunia Jauh Lebih Besar
Penulis : Kyle Idleman
Jumlah Halaman : 174 halaman
Penerbit : Literatur Perkantas Jatim
Bahasa : Indonesia
Buku : Fisik (pinjam di perpustakaan gereja)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tidak ada satu pun kesalahan, penderitaan dan keadaan kita yang lebih besar daripada Kasih Karunia Allah.

Saya selalu suka gaya penulisan Kyle yg menceritakan dari sudut pandang pengalaman beliau, pengalaman para jemaat bahkan kisah2 tokoh yang belum saya dengar, semuanya merefleksikan apa yg dihadapi oleh kita mengenai Kasih Karunia Allah.

Kasih Karunia sifatnya harus dua arah. Menerima dari Allah dan kemudian berbagi kepada orang lain, termasuk perihal memberikan pengampunan kepada org terdekat yg menyakiti kita. Saya masih struggle di bagian itu setahun belakangan ini, dan saya percaya bahwa ketika Tuhan menuntun saya utk membaca buku ini seharusnya ada pola pikir baru yg bisa saya ubah dari kehidupan saya sekarang yaitu melakukan pengampunan level ke - 3 , dimana saya mau untuk berdamai dengan seseorang yg menyakiti saya.

Kasih Karunia memang sungguh ada ketika kita mengakui ketidak berdayaan dan kelemahan kita. Justru dalam kelemahan kita , kuasa Allah bekerja di dalamNya untuk mendatangkan kebaikan bagi kita yg terpanggil untuk mengasihi dia.

Pada akhirnya buku ini memberikan definisi terbaik tentang kebaikan Kasih Karunia dimana dalam setiap penderitaan yg kita alami pasti ada tujuan dari Allah dan tujuan itu supaya kita semakin dekat kepada Kristus & serupa dengan Yesus.

[James Brixey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have managed to pick some great books out for this year it seems, given the high average rating. That said, this is certainly a good one. I think that the great secret of this book is the simplicity of its message. That is to say, all it asks is that we grow to understand the grace of God, and apply that to our lives. Oh. Did I say simplicity. I mean kind of. Grace is easy enough to understand: in spite of the bad things that we have done, God has decided he will offer up his son, through his Grace, so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to him.
But, the ramifications are. Well, still simple. We must forgive. We must trust God that he still loves us when we are hurting. We must be able to trust God that our mistakes are not going to mess his grace up. But they are also deeply contrary to what I know of my own human nature, and I suspect they are contrary to yours too. This book is helpful in figuring out how to put those into practice.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I loved this book so much. I walked away with so much. Highly recommend! Review to come.

[Kyra Lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgiveness takes 1 person, reconciliation takes 2

[Lizzy Bueckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Kyle Idleman! Filled my heart with hard truths and wonderful grace. Thank you.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not at all like other books on grace I have read. I had expected a focus on Christ's work on the cross and the resulting transformation in our identity, but instead he focuses on how God's grace can deal with our past hurts, failures, anger, (lack of) love, etc. The author has a very conversational style with loads of illustrations and personal examples which made it very easy to listen to on my daily drive to and from work. A great, biblical, practical book, and I could definitely recommend it to others.

[Shelby Welsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved how Pastor Idleman talk not only about needing to receive grace to give grace but also how we can receive grace. I also thought it was a very effective concept to talk about how grace flows from God and we then should give it to other purely because we receive it from the Lord. I think this book was a great reminder that in order to be like Christ we have to be able to give grace even when we are hurt and in pain.

[Chipego (pagedbypego) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book, I can't to find the right words to properly review it and articulate my thoughts on it and so that's pretty much all I'm going to say.

I absolutely enjoyed it and recommend it

[Rachel | All the RAD Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I breezed through this one during a recent lunch break, as our team at work will be interviewing Idleman for an upcoming podcast (I'll share more once we release it into the wild!) -- I grabbed several nuggets throughout the chapters and appreciated his thoughts on grace, but wasn't wowed by any of the things he shared. There were good elements and I liked the way he structured the chapters, but it wasn't anything amazing in my opinion.

[Chanel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Grace Is Greater highlighted the power of grace, why we need God's grace, and why it's essential to growth in every area of our lives through vivid testimonials and biblical application. It was engaging, reflective, relatable, and easy to listen to. Overall, Grace Is Greater is a truly a wonderful book.

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Grace is powerful enough to erase your guilt. Grace is big enough to cover your shame. Grace is real enough to heal your relationships. Grace is strong enough to hold you up when you’re weak. Grace is sweet enough to cure your bitterness. Grace is satisfying enough to deal with your disappointment. Grace is beautiful enough to redeem your brokenness.”

“When God’s grace and mercy collide with our shame and guilt, it’s messy but it’s beautiful. Jesus knows everything you ever did, but he wants to make sure you know that his grace is greater.”

“If you have been hurt, betrayed, abandoned, or abused, God is standing with you and offers you a grace that is not only greater than anything you have done but greater than anything that has been done to you.”

This is my first Kyle Idleman book but it surely won’t be my last! I absolutely love his writing style as it blends hard truths, easy to understand stories and metaphors, and the perfect amount of humor. I found myself excited to keep reading this book. Kyle explores the subject of grace from all aspects: Jesus, sin, pain, forgiving others, forgiving ourselves, mistakes, love, and every thing in between. I appreciate that he doesn’t take lightly the pain and hardships others are enduring/have endured. But he does a great job showing that grace is often more meaningful when it is experienced rather than explained. My hope is that others will read this book and recognize God’s grace and how they can share this wonderful gift of grace with others.


For more of my reviews, please check out my blog!
https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/we...

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Idleman is known for his teaching that Christians are to be fully committed to Jesus. After a message on this theme, Idleman was reminded of Hebrews 12:15. The passage admonishes us to make sure no one fails to experience the grace of God. That led Idleman on a journey resulting in this book.

We are reminded of the greatness of grace and the effect it has on our lives. We are also reminded of what can happen when we miss grace and ignore it.

This is not a theological treatise on grace. The Hebrews passage is about experiencing grace and that is what Idleman wants for his readers – experiencing grace. He helps us understand the seriousness of sin for we must realize that before we can appreciate the true beauty of grace. We see how we can be held captive by regret and remorse if we don't embrace grace. Idleman helps us in giving grace too. I like that he emphasizes the necessity of prayer, such as praying for our enemies. He reminds us that the grace we have been given is much greater than the grace we have been asked to give.

This is a powerful book. I had forgotten how important and essential grace is to my life. I was again reminded of the grace I have been given and what that means to me. I was faced with the consequences I experience when I ignore grace and some feelings of defeat in my Christian life were identified in the process. And I was reminded of how slow I am to give grace when hurt by someone else and the bitterness and pain that can result.

I highly recommend this book to all Christians. We need a change of perspective. Idleman invites us to live life looking through the lens of God's grace. His stories, illustrations and teaching are great encouragement.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Creed Galbraith · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Gospel was laid out ok right at the start, then slowly deconstructed and boiled down to no more than try Jesus and he will fix your problems. A lot of personal testimonies which are not bad in themselves but still brought down by the author to say look what Jesus did for them or me, so try him so he can do it for you. One testimony I found most disappointing was that of Joyce Meyer. While I would never think of wishing any of what happened to her on herself or any other image bearer of God, this does not dismiss the fact that she is a known false teacher that openly preaches a false gospel. The author compares her ability to forgive to that of Christ and encourages his readers to do as Joyce Meyer has done. Lastly he flat denies the biblical and historical teaching of the doctrines of grace. I do not recommend this book as there are far greater exegetical writings that better explain grace and exalt God to His place, above all things.

[David Puerto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es un libro muy práctico pero al mismo tiempo reflexivo. Tiene ejemplos cotidianos bastante comunes que ayudan a seguir los conceptos principales que propone el escritor. Lo que más me gustó del libro es la transparencia del escritor mismo y la realidad del corazón humano. Cada vez más necesitamos sinceridad y vulnerabilidad en el Cuerpo de Cristo. Excelente lectura.

[Chris Borden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyle continues to be an easily accessible writer that challenges me to grow in Christlikeness. This book reinforces to me the value of strict discipleship paired with liberal with grace.

Providence allowed me to read this book at a time that I needed to be reminded that God’s grace is always greater. It’s very humbling to ponder how unworthy I am for this great grace. Thank you Kyle.

[Audra Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyle Idleman uses his signature wit and easy writing style to take his readers on a journey into Grace. “By grace we have been saved through faith” but that’s only one aspect of grace. We’ve received grace but one of the hardest things to do is to give grace. We all want it but when it comes to extending grace it can be the hardest thing you may ever do. How do you forgive someone that has hurt you so deeply you can’t even see straight? Kyle shows us that through God’s grace we can. Once we’ve experienced God’s grace it is incumbent upon us to extend the same grace to others. Maybe it’s not someone else you need to extend grace to, it’s yourself. This book can guide you through the why’s and how’s of receiving and extending grace. Complaining about your circumstances? Your life is not how you thought it would be or should be? (I’m looking at me.) Grace is there for that too. Kyle says, “Complaining causes us to become increasingly obsessed with our less-than-perfect circumstances. Gratitude, on the other hand, isn’t dependent on circumstances. It recognizes that God’s grace is reason enough to be thankful in all circumstances.” I’ll be reading this book again (especially chapter 8) and passing it on to others.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

God prompted me to read this book exactly when I needed to hear what was written. Yay God!

[Jon Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Idleman's writing style. I especially enjoyed the way he talked about forgiveness in this book.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Life is hard.
God is good.
Just keep reading.
Grace is greater."

[Alicia Schulz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book!

[Jessica Reisner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book on grace! Must read!

[Joshua Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Pastor Kyle Idleman. His books help me so much understand God’s love and grace...

[Rebecca Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it was a book on Grace - one of my favorite things to be reminded of. & especially when I saw who wrote it - one of my favorite Pastors.
This book did not disappoint, in the least.
Kyle Idleman has such a way of putting Biblical principals into relatable terms. You'll laugh at some of the personal stories (especially if you read the footnotes!!) & then you feel like you've been gut-punched with the truth that the Bible has that you tend to put aside. He's just so good at making God's words & promise easy to understand. Opens your eyes to noticing it more in your own life.
This book is broken up in how Grace works in a life - For you, for you to give to others (did I mention that gut-punch thing?) & how Grace is in all your circumstances.
As someone who goes to Kyle's church, I will say, I have heard many of the things he mentioned in this book in sermons. That's not a negative to me - it just reminded me of the great messages I've heard before & now glad to have some of the points written on paper to refer to more often & not have to rely on my ever forgetting memory. & I'm even more glad that the amazing messages that I get to hear every week is getting shared a bit with the rest of the world.
I honestly can't recommend this book enough if you struggle with wondering if God has enough mercy & grace for you in your mistakes you've made... or if you are having trouble forgiving others. You will close this book with an encouraged heart.

[Aut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible. I began reading later last year, and reopened it to a random chapter this year. I had a “God moment” as the chapter was very relevant to things going on in my life! I went back and highlighted many paragraphs. I love the authors sense of humor and relatability in this book. God is good!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kyle Idleman is most likely my favorite non-fiction author. When I saw a post about being in the launch team for his new book, I immediately filled out the application and waited with fingers crossed......and was happy to get in on it.

I have read, enjoyed, been convicted, and encouraged by all of Kyle's books. Grace Is Greater may be his best yet. Grace is a big subject to tackle, but Kyle does a great job of doing so in this book.

He first emphasizes the grace that is available to us, no matter how bad we are or have been. He then goes on to address how we need to show the same grace we have received to others....even those who have wronged us. I found that part of the book very convicting, especially as I read examples of people who had forgiven much and showed grace to those who had severely wronged them.

Often books of this type are stuffy volumes that are difficult to wade through. Grace Is Greater is far from stuffy or boring. Kyle writes of grace in a way that is interesting and entertaining as he tells his own faults in a self deprecating manner.

Obviously it is going to take more than reading a book like this to change, but it is a great start. There is a lot of good and Biblical advice in here how to accept God's grace, how to show it, and how to forgive the unforgiveable. There are no quick and easy formulas, yet Bible-based instructions on how to get where we need to be.

I highly recommend this book. It has the potential to be a life-changing book.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Johan Taljaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace is Greater has been a yearlong journey for me. It’s a short and simple read but I approached it more as a guide for grace that I returned to again and again and again whenever I desperately needed Grace that was Greater than
... guilt
... my brokenness
... resentment
... my disappointments
... despair.

There a quip from E.B. White in the introduction that struck me: “Grace can be dissected like a frog, but the thing dies in the process.”

“Grace explained is necessary, but grace experienced is essential.”

And then there’s this passage on page 45:

“Some of you think that the worst thing that could happen to you is that your sins will be found out and your secrets will be exposed. You’re afraid that someone’s going to bring up something you did a long time ago.

You don’t want anyone to know, and since God already knows, you do your worst to avoid him. You think the worst thing that could happen is that you get found out and are forced to confront the truth.

But that’s not the worst thing. The worst thing that could happen is that you go through life and nobody knows. No one ever finds out. You just carry the weight of your guilt and shame around with you everywhere.

The worst thing that could happen is that you spend your life trying to outrun God because you think he’s chasing you to collect what you owe - when he’s really chasing you to give you what you could never afford.”

[Kiersten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like every other one of his books, Kyle has given us an incredible read in Grace Is Greater. Full of light humor, loving truth and deep grace. I greatly appreciate the way Kyle can take a heavy topic and keep it light enough to be enjoyable but deep enough to really get to the heart of the topic. I also appreciate the way he writes to me, the average intellect. So many authors tackle the topic of grace and it quickly becomes highly academic and intellectual, hard to follow or understand and connect with. But Kyle takes the same topic and makes it accessible to me, to those like me who get lost in the high academic language, to those who like me need things kept simple yet true. I highly recommend all of Kyle's books and will certainly be adding this to the list I go to when asked for a book recommendation.

[Rob O'Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace is a major conversation topic within Christianity. The front matter of this book alone attests to that: Of the 13 advanced praise statements, 11 are from author who have a book with the word “grace” in the title. It, honestly, leads one to question why we need another book on grace. The answer, equally simply enough, is that the doctrine of grace is multi-faceted. It is wide-ranging and requires a multiplicity of voices to help us understand it. And, as you will quickly learn through his stories, Idleman is one who is learning what grace is all about.

Following an introductory chapter, the book is divided into three sections. Each section focuses on a particular area of concern, an area that Idleman argues that “grace is greater” than: mistakes, hurt and circumstances. The first unit focuses on the mistakes that can separate us from experiencing God’s restorative grace (guilt, brokenness, and regrets). For me, the chapter that really stood out in this section was the chapter on regret (chapter 3). In this chapter, Idleman explores the difference between regret and shame, with regret being defined as “feeling bad about something you have or haven’t done” (p. 51) and shame being defined as “feeling bad about who you are or how you think you’re being perceived by God or others” (p. 52).

The second unit focuses on the hurts that can prevent us from experiencing God’s healing grace (wounds, bitterness, vengeance and resentment). For me, the chapter that really stood out in this section was the chapter on vengeance (chapter 6). It was a refreshing chapter because of Idleman’s opening words: “If you’re in ministry, some people won’t like you. At all” (p. 103). As one who has been burned in ministry before, Idleman’s focus on releasing my rights to hold on to that pain was very enlightening. Ministers are often quick to speak about grace, yet we move slower than most when it comes to extending it.

The third unit focuses on the circumstances that can derail us from experiencing God’s guiding grace (disappointments, weakness and despair). For me, the chapter that really stood out in this section was the chapter on weakness (chapter 9). In a culture that has tried to “Christianize” suffering by adopting cliché mantras like “just pray about it” or “God has a plan for your suffering,” Idleman addresses how these trite views actually devalue the powerfully redemptive grace that God offers us through Christ and the daily indwelling of the Spirit.

Overall, I really liked this book from Kyle Idleman. It was thoughtful, humorous, decently researched (often a shortcoming of “Christian living” books) and practical. In addition to the lack of solid research, “Christian living” books are often impractical. What I mean is that they sound really good, yet they fail in actually providing instruction on how to integrate their concepts into the life of the reader. While his book is not as practical as books by, say, Arron Chambers or John Ortberg, Idleman does try to give some ways of integrating his concept of accepting God’s grace. For example, in the chapter on weakness (chapter 9), he asks the reader to state a weakness. Then he offers two reflective questions to help the reader process why this is a weakness and how to find strength to overcome the weakness. Finally, he walks the reader through the process of accepting grace and integrating this into the reader’s life.

Finally, this book would make an excellent discussion topic for a small group or book club study, a recommended read for a “new Christians” class, or even as a guide for a preaching series. Idleman’s easy-to-listen-to style makes for a quick read and can easily be accommodated for the preacher who is looking for a practical way to speak about such a central doctrine of our religion.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace - a word that is often spoken of and preached about yet somehow we struggle so greatly with this truth. Grace is Greater is written perhaps to an audience that either over evaluates grace in the aspect that they live their life recklessly knowing they have God's grace to fall back on when they mess up or those who look at their lives, viewing the mess and heartache, and truly believed that their is no hope and no forgiveness. Kyle Idleman writes so that the reader understands the wickedness of sin and rebellion for it is only when we understand the devastation of sin that we will be in awe of the awesomeness of God's grace. In his book, Kyle uses scriptures as his guide to help readers see the truth of what grace is but he also uses personal stories (from both himself and others) as well as illustrations to help others understand the concept. I appreciate how transparent Kyle writes, he shares stories of his life where he points out his failures and struggles and his need for grace. This book is by no means theologically deep; however, it is very encouraging , truthful, and practical. I have read several of Kyle Idleman's writings and this one is probably my favorite thus far. Where a Christian or an unbeliever - this is a good book because God wants the world to know His grace.