Mercy. Something to be thankful for.
If you were to drill down deep into your soul, what are you most thankful for? Would mercy be near the top of your list?
Let’s suppose you cheated on your boyfriend or girlfriend, stole money from your roommate’s wallet or lied to your boss. What if your behavior was much more heinous than these examples – and worse, was a recurring offense? You sincerely regret and feel ashamed of your actions. You want to come clean, but you fear their reaction.
What personality traits would the offended person need to have that would make it easier for you to go to them to confess? And what could they do in response to your confession that would help you make better choices in the future?
These questions are even more important as we decide whether to go to God when we’ve sinned against Him. Doesn’t God’s nature (or at least the way we perceive His nature) influence whether we choose to confess our wrongdoing to Him? And doesn’t it affect our ability to trust Him to help us overcome temptation next time?
We often have misperceptions of how God feels about us when we’re struggling. We’re so convinced He’s disappointed in us that we choose to remain in our sin, or we try to change on our own. God hates sin and the way it destroys us, yet he generously offers mercy and grace.
Read Hebrews 4:16 (ESV):
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
I wonder if we appreciate the throne of grace. Can we ever thank God enough for His mercy?
Think how wretched our lives would be – how wretched our very self would be – if we couldn’t go to our heavenly Father when …
- We’re at our weakest.
- We feel like a failure.
- We most need to experience his loving presence.
Hebrews 4:16 invites us to approach God’s throne with confidence. While we are in His presence in search of mercy, let’s also ask for grace to approach those we’ve betrayed, stolen from, lied to – all those we’ve wronged. So that once we’ve come clean to those we’ve hurt, we can walk away from our shame … and experience mercy a second time.
Mercy. It’s something to be thankful for.
What do you think?
- How wretched would your life be if you couldn’t go to your heavenly Father when you were at your weakest?
- How has God’s mercy changed your life?
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Humbly at Christ’s feet I bow, I lift my head and he extends his hands and gently gathers me unto his breast and enfolds me their in his mercy and love. What a Saviour. MERCY PAID FOR ME A SINNER TO SET FREE. HALLELUJAH, My life I give back to him. COME HOLY SPIRIT.
Amen! and Amen! Beautiful comment, Jaqulin!
Early this morning I woke up with the thought of mercy on my mind. I was overwhelmed by the mercy God provides yet also inundated with blows of doubt as I have struggled far too long to take on more work than I feasibly have time to complete. I have often find myself lying about the outcome/completion status so as not to disappoint the one who assigned the task. It wasn’t that I couldn’t do the work, I just did not have the extra time and was too prideful to ask for help. I have suffered physical setbacks lately and I wonder if this is punishment? I begged God for forgiveness this morning and determined to ask for help when needed and not to let my pride get in the way. When I saw this post on my Twitter feed, I knew this was an on time word for me. Thank you for your obedience in delivering the word of God as he has provided it to you. Thank God for mercy! I am now praying on how I approach those that I have betrayed but also how I handle those that have lied to me and let me down.
Dana, I am amazed by how God uses each of us – and thankful. I will pray for/with you as you pursue wisdom on how to approach those you have betrayed and for a heart to extend mercy toward those who betrayed you. I also thank God for your humble and repentant heart!
Thank you for stopping by Today Can Be Different. I hope you stay in touch, Dana.
“What personality traits would the offended person need to have that would make it easier for you to go to them to confess?”
This is a good analogy about God. We can always go to him and find mercy.
Don’t you love that about God?!!
Thank you, Barbara!
“How has God’s mercy changed your life?”
It makes me cry to think about his mercies towards me. I am so thankful
As am I, Judith!! I do actually shed tears in gratitude from time to time.