My husband was a “do right.”  He really was a good guy. But until his last couple of years in life, he didn’t experience the joy of God’s unconditional love. He thought it was because he was a prodigal son. But it seemed  to me that he was the older brother who thought he had to earn the father’s love.  Being a good person to get to heaven or be loved, is not a bad thing.  But it’s not a joyful grace thing either. And it’s much harder to get rid of our ego, when so much is riding on it. Those of us who have trouble being strong and good, when we experience being loved unconditionally, it’s not only joyful, but a source of grace for us in our weak times. We still have to struggle sometimes, but we don’t want to lose that joy. And once we tune in to God actually being active in our lives, we recognize His trying to show us when we are about to do something harmful and seriously stupid. Once we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear, it’s totally mind blowing how active God is in our lives, because he loves us, idiots that we are. I know where of I speak! What an awesome loving actively involved God we have. (Whether we like it or not!)