Peace family, what does the word, “mercy” mean to you?
Lately, I have been chewing over the fact that mercy is always undeserved, and have been considering what God’s forgiveness towards me means.
In relation to God, it’s tempting (and frightening!) to believe that his mercy is dependent on our performance, with our successes drawing him closer and our failures deserving his rejection. However, no matter how good we are, how many people we help, how good we look, how “together” we are, or our levels of success and skill, none of it is enough to earn God’s love or forgiveness.
Instead, mercy is what God gives us out of the overflow of his heart, despite all of our failures.
In relation to other humans, mercy, by definition, is still not something that can be earned. Are there people whom you feel need to earn your forgiveness? Here’s some encouragement to let them (and really, yourself) off the hook. Mercy is an extension of forgiveness, letting go, and saying that the guilty party doesn’t have to apologize or pay any sort of retribution in order for you to move on. Its opposite, resentment, is a cruel prison master that takes away your peace and is difficult to escape, sometimes even to the point of being emotionally addicting.
Thank goodness that God gives us a perfect example of mercy and forgiveness in himself. God has forgiven us more than we ever will need to forgive someone else, and that’s empowering, when you think about it.
Being merciful is not easy. It’s extremely hard, unnatural, and can be confusing to the giver and recipient. But it’s beautiful, powerful, and it reflects the heart of God. It’s worth it.
Anyway, just a few thoughts from your friendly, neighborhood Kat.
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