MERCY is Compassionate forbearance with an offender, to act kindly toward them.

I found 5 things that are GOD’s Mercy toward us. And that we can do that are merciful toward others.

My side: He is on my side. When I am up against a wall, When I am facing where I have failed or done wrong God is on my side. The bible says that God only opposes the proud. (and even in his opposing the proud it is His mercy to bring you to a humble place)  If I humble myself when He corrects me, I will experience His presence and help to bring me to a balanced place. I have nothing to fear from this world or the people in it. It is also how we give mercy to others by being on their side even when they don’t deserve it. Not opposing them in anger when they have done us wrong but in helping them by not allowing what they are doing to control us, being the bigger person and being patient in love while they are being in the wrong. We can be a friend. We can support them. It also means we point them to Jesus and right living when they are doing wrong. When we are on each others side we can be partners to hold each other up when we begin to slip.

Encouraging Help: We overcome hurts and trouble because of His mercy. He becomes our strength, when life and circumstances come in to push on us and knock us down. His mercy reminds us that we have the God of Salvation with us. We can get up! We can sing! Sing praise to encourage and uplift our hearts when we feel down. Ever have a song put you in a good mood or get you up on your feet and moving to clean your room? We can pray with others and help them and remind them of how God is right with them. We can share a song and sing and laugh together. Renewing our spirit! We can remind each other when it is hard that we will overcome, that we can do the right thing especially when we are tempted to give up or sin.

Rejoicing: When we are waiting for our answers to come. He gives us the ability to rejoice, to see joy and grace until we can walk out of the mess we are in. We can think on good stuff, we can focus of the amazing things God has done already. We can acknowledge the goodness of God all around us. We can help another who is feeling heavy to be lifted through rejoicing with them. Be a source of Joy to others. A reason to be thankful. That even if they have messed up you can show love and mercy to them. You can acknowledge the good in them.

Christ: He has given us light …just like last week when we talked about grace and exposed darkness..here we see LIGHT given to us as mercy too. Light helps us to see truth, see what is really going on. Light helps us see because we have blind spots.  Light shines into dark places and exposes. Christ is the MERCY for our souls to bring us into the Light and out of darkness. We are to be the LIGHT of GOD in the world. Bringing HOPE to others by having mercy on others and pointing them to Jesus. God has made us each with a unique view point. We see what others may miss. We can share that with each other. We can allow others to be flashlights of revealing stuff we can see in us. We are all blind until the light turns on.

You are my God: This is relationship and that is how we learn we are loved and accepted is through God loving us by His mercy. He wants our friendship even when we didn’t want His. Declaring this means we choose to enter into relationship with God where He can give us all His ways of mercy to bless us in our life. We can be a friend to those who don’t deserve it. We can be forbearing. ( bear with them) We can win them as friends. This is what God did for us through Jesus. Chose to be friendly , remove everyway that would keep them from becoming a friend from your heart through the love of Christ in you.

This is the mercy of God that He is on My side , Encourages and helps me, Rejoices with you as you learn to overcome, Christ is your light to help you see the way through, with a crescendo of exclamation :You are my God!!!….

may I never forget your MERCY!