Grace from Head to Heart: Experiencing God's Kindness in a Fallen World

by Gordon C. Bals

In Grace from Head to Heart Gordon Bals describes the way forward in relating more honestly and vulnerably with God, especially in times of affliction and deep hurt, and he shares his own poignant struggles to reach a maturity in his faith. Acknowledging the ever-present opportunity for receiving God's love in our most difficult moments, the author affirms our ability to navigate the hard times with authentic joy even alongside our suffering in a fallen world.

Genres: Christian

116 pages, Paperback

Published January 19, 2022

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book was very timely for me personally, and is one I’m sure I’ll return to through seasons of difficulty time and again. My hope is that, as he describes in the book, I’ll find myself surprised each time I pick it up again at how I’ve softened and grown in my ability to lean into the Lord through suffering since the last reading. Though at times I found his ideas somewhat abstract and I asked “but what does that look like?” Or “how do I actually do that?” The book moved into its own in the last 3-4 chapters especially, and left me with a sense of hope at what may come as I meet the Lord through grief and suffering. Honesty, humility, and interdependence (both on God and others) seem to be the primary prescriptions here, and Gordon models all of them through his writing and the way he beautifully uses parts of his own story to illustrate how God’s grace has moved from head to heart in his own life.

[James Kling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gordon Bals packs a lot of great material into a relatively short book! This book was encouraging to me as he used personal stories and examples from his counseling experience and continued to point us scripture and the kindness of God. The book takes the reader through various conditions of the heart (isolated, anxious, receptive, confused, vulnerable, etc) and teaches them from scripture what the condition of our heart might look like or mean, and provides practical ways to address the conditions. The author does a good job explaining how to apply these principles in ways that speak to the heart (versus just knowing the concept in your head.) This book is a great narrative in the conversation about the relationship between grace and truth.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Bals walks the reader through the Bible's model of how to handle sin, suffering, and loss in a grace-centered way.

"If we go through afflictions and harden our heart toward God, His grace remains only a concept in our mind. But if we relate to Him in a personal way, drawing near to Him while wrestling out our afflictions, grace moves into our heart."

It takes courage to engage our stories, turn to the Lord in our pain, and receive His grace amid our heartache. This process transforms His grace from theoretical to concrete and moves it from philosophical knowledge in our heads to felt experience in our hearts.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gordon invites us to relate the the Father authentically and vulnerably even in the midst of suffering. When we do, we experience more of his grace and goodness.

"Prior to marriage, I'd been trying in my angry and determined behavior to exercise control over life because I didn't trust God. As a result, I thought I'd earned a pain-free marriage with my good behavior. When we inevitably ran into problems, the pain I'd pushed down through controlled behavior came storming out of me. I raged: 'God, how could You do this to me? I worked so hard to avoid this! You betrayed and fooled me. I'm furious at You!' A crazy thing happened as I lamented to the Lord. He loved me through it."

Read this book! You can buy it on Amazon.

[Ryan Linkous · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very practical guide to lament and suffering particularly aimed at those who have mainly been taught to avoid suffering at all costs with few examples of how to suffer well. Bals gives a practitioner’s taxonomy of how to feel, grieve, lament, sorrow, and mourn, ultimately that we might understand and receive God’s grace all the more.

As I pastor, I have purchased multiple copies of this to give to congregants who are walking through trials or who have had a difficult time grieving loss in their life.

[Parker Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I related so deeply to this book from my own experiences with pride, performance, self, and how God used trials in my life to bring humility, dependance, and maturity in Him. I love how the author uses so many stories from his own life to show how God often plays the long game in producing something beautiful in our hearts. Ultimately, this book shares how good God is and how we can experience him and others more freely. I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Colby · Rating 3 out of 5]

just like being in Dr Bals’s class: with all the supervening joys and frustrations, a tangled web all mixed into one.

Would recommend.

[Lisa Latham · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Grace from Head to Heart" is a must-read for anyone who struggles to internalize what they know cognitively about God and His promises. Packed with biblical truth and wise insight, the author, Gordon Bals, reminds believers that "The Gospel is counterintuitive. At the very point we want to be strongest- after we've sinned the worst, or a crushing tragedy has come our way- we must become a child again and groan, letting the Spirit soften our heart so we become more receptive to God's unearned work on our behalf." Bals consistently reminds us that the cultural norm of independence is actually contrary to the Gospel's teaching on dependence. "Instead of reaching a place where we're secure and self-reliant adults, we're supposed to work backwards and become like young children looking for someone to take care of us." "Grace from Head to Heart" spurs us towards Christian maturity and the understanding that trials and difficulties are "passages into greater Christlikeness and increased fruit." Take your time reading this book. Grab a highlighter and meditate on its truths. It is one to read, reflect on, revisit, and remember.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, but powerful book about how God invites us to vulnerably relate to him, especially in the midst of suffering and trials. Bals argues that when we begin to experience pain and sorrow, it's easy to stay isolated and hardened in our self-reliance. But life is found and grace is truly experienced when we vulnerably feel the pain and come to God honestly with it. He says, “As our heart is softened and refreshed through sorrow, we more passionately give and receive grace with others, which enhances our experience of God’s kindness in this world.”

Another great quote:“I had no idea how much I’d been forgiven until I lamented. For years I’d been reciting how much God loved me, but I hid all my questions and resentments from Him. I never tested the depth and breadth of His love. I needed the courage to lament for His love to move from my head to my heart. Relating to God in a way that seemed disrespectful is one of the most powerful ways I experienced His grace.”

[Callie McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a refreshing read. I truly enjoyed this book as it nourished my soul in ways I didn’t realize I needed.

[Graham Gaines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gordon Bals is a national treasure. Reading this book made me feel like I was back in class, and I absolutely loved his class. I just wish this book was longer!!

[Guy Able · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like listening to stories and truths read from an old friend; engaging, real, challenging, comforting.

[Matt Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining the wisdom he’s gleaned from decades of counseling and pastoral ministry as well as processing the joys and griefs of his own personal story, Gordon Bals proves to be a humble, helpful guide for believers who struggle to apply and take hold of the grace of the gospel into their hearts.