Wrestling With Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life

Rating:
Summary: Warm and wise counsel for the spiritual path
Review: "Mountaintop raptures are all well and good," writes Robert Corin Morris, "but what happens in the valley has long-lasting results in our lives and the lives of those we meet." Wrestling with Grace is a handbook for the valley, a guide to being a blessing in the world even in the midst of life's challenges. Morris shows how frustration, fear, anger, depression, busyness, status--all the things we wrestle with on a daily basis--can be doorways to the Spirit. Morris' reflections, like his interfaith ministry, are grounded in Judeo-Christian imagery and symbol and open to the wisdom of other faiths. Full of grace, humor, and stories of his own and others' "wrestling" experiences (along with ten meditative prayer exercises), this book gives encouragement, inspiration, and practical advice. It's a welcome companion for the rough edges of the spiritual life.

Rating:
Summary: Growing in Spirit through stubbing your toe
Review: First, I admit that I am the author's brother-in-law, and that we have been waiting thirty years for Bob Morris to write this book. I receive no financial benefit from anything to do with the book.
Nonetheless, this is the most practical and usable book I have ever read regarding the spiritual journey. With exquisite insight, kindness and gentle humor, the author leads us to find opportunities for spiritual progress in the very moments when we feel least "spiritual"--moments of anger, frustration, and disappointment. He invites us to expand our spiritual awareness beyond the church or meditation chamber to the bustling business of daily life. I have always found my own hopes for myself most tested in moments of frustration, whether at work, while driving, or in the multiple relationships of home life. This book is a clear and friendly guide to using those same difficult times as occasions to grow.
The predominant religious context of the book is Christian, but the author cites wisdom and example from many traditions, as well as from secular life. Moreover, he breathes new life into Christian passages which may have grown old in our hearing. Those who have found organized religion inadequate or unsatisfying can find here glimpses of the deep truths underlying religious traditions. Embodied in this book are both deep wisdom and a spirituality which welcomes all of us.