Mercy

God is merciful.

Usually when I think about this attribute of God, all I think about is that through salvation in Christ Jesus, God spared me the punishment I deserve.

But what if we approach this truth of who God is when we go through painful trials in our lives. Because of sin, we live in a world of brokenness. For most of us, whether a believer or not, our first reaction when hard times befall us is to blame God, be angry at him, and question why, why, why.

It's inevitable. We suffer because of sin, something that God did not do, but something that we essentially brought upon ourselves.

While it's not God's "fault" at all, his mercy is ever surrounding us. He still chooses to bestow his mercy and goodness on our lives through the hard times. Think about it...

He could very well leave us to hurt and suffer through the pain that we experience here on this earth, but because of his mercy, he longs to be our comforter, our refuge, a lap to sit in and a shoulder to cry on. He chooses to be WITH US in the fiery trials. He chooses to lavish his love on us in our pain, instead of leaving us to bear the hurt alone, the hurt that human sin brought...the hurt that he had nothing to do with.

And in his mercy, God is patient with us while we are busy blaming or being angry at him.

I pray that I remember this age-old, yet new-found truth in my life when the fiery trials come. I pray that I run and cling to my merciful Father, rather than run away from Him.

Thank you My heavenly Daddy.

Daniel 9:9 - "The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.."