Hopelessness. There is no more mind-numbing emotion on the planet. It is like a black hole in your soul.
I have felt this even when I have known that I am a child of God. I have hope for life after death, but I was still trapped with the idea that there is no hope for this life. (Part of my story was clinical depression, you can read about that here.)
Why do we get mired in this mindset? For me, it was because I did not fully embrace God’s mercy.
Mercy
Merriam-Webster defines “mercy” as “compassion shown especially to an offender.”
God talks about mercy over 100 times in the Bible. Some of them are:
- Mercy triumphs over judgement. James 2:13
- In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope. 1 Peter 1:3
- [Salvation] does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Romans 9:16
We receive God’s mercy at salvation and we are to live in and with mercy towards others. When I was not living in mercy, I was unable to believe in God’s love for me either.
Abiding
Abiding is an old-fashioned word, used in the KJV in John 15, where Jesus is talking about the vine and the branches. The branches do not have to struggle to remain attached to the vine. They do not have to prove themselves in order for the life-giving sap to flow into them. They just abide.
How often do I forget that I am to simply rest in God’s love and mercy? I do not have to struggle for it. Jesus paid the full price.
Mercy Abiding
My blog is called Mercy Abiding to be a constant reminder to dwell, to live in God’s love and his lavish mercy. Before we can walk in freedom, we must accept God’s mercy.
I was stuck for so many years. I knew in my head that God had forgiven me, but my heart was enslaved by the belief that I just fell under the “world” clause; God would not have bothered if it had only been me.
Friends, this is a LIE! Jesus showed over and over his love and concern for the individual – from the woman at the well to Martha and Mary.
Choose to dwell in the place of God’s mercy. Let it surround you and lift you up. My hope for Mercy Abiding is that it will be a community that encourages and lifts you up as well.
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Timothy 1:2b