The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; [a] his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
Every day, I need your mercy, Lord.
More than I need food, water, church, or to hang out with friends, I need the Lord’s mercies. Here is the truth, I often miss the mark. I get hung up on words, behave in ways that are displeasing, and do not always love others the way I should. I argue when I should choose silence. I get offended and say things I regret.
The funny thing is, from the outside looking in, I qualify as a “good Christian.”
I go to church weekly.
I read my Bible.
I give to the church.
I serve others.
I try to do the right thing.
I "check the Christian boxes" pretty well.
Yet, in those secret moments, like many others, I struggle with fear, shame, and a host of qualities that don’t reflect my Father in heaven. Like all who have come before me and will come after me, I struggle with sin and need daily repentance. Yet, the Lord chooses to love me past my disqualifications and mistakes. So much so, that every morning He extends his mercy to me and its His good pleasure to do so.
Yet, you and I aren’t the first to feel like we don’t quite measure up. The Apostle Paul found himself in a struggle between right and wrong. In Romans 7:15, he says, “ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Yes, even the person responsible for writing half of the New Testament was in desperate need of a forgiving God! He was transparent about his shortcomings and knew it was by Christ alone that he could ever overcome them.
We serve a holy and perfect God. The truth is, He has every right to turn His eyes in disgrace towards us. However, His love is steadfast, immovable, and never changing towards us. As described in Romans 8:39, no height, depth, or circumstance could ever separate us from this unending love. It's out of His unconditional love that He can say, “I offer you another chance.” Every single day, He does so. We simply can’t outrun His love and the accompanying mercy.
Our job is to receive them.
Unfortunately, many struggle with receiving God’s mercies. They become stuck between their spiritual desire to do what’s right and their fleshly desires to only satisfy themselves. They convince themselves that their struggles with sin disqualify them from God’s love. The shame of their situation (past or current) leaves them defeated and unable to genuinely enjoy the benefits of being a child of God. All the while, the Lord wants to remind them that He died for them before they ever told a “white lie”, committed a sexual sin, or dishonored God. God’s mercy and love was never affected by the depravity of the sinner; it was always backed by the truth of His word. Truly, the one He has set free from sin, shame, and guilt, is free INDEED! His mercy is anew for you if you choose to receive it.
Lord, I thank you for your steadfast love. Thank you for choosing to love me more than I could ever love myself. I praise you for your goodness and faithfulness towards me. Even when I don’t deserve it, you show your kindness towards me relentlessly. I give myself completely over to you. Lord, I ask that you show me when I’m operating out of shame and guilt. I ask that you forgive me for the times I’ve rejected your mercy towards me and have chosen to walk in shame. I receive your new mercies over my life.
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** Excerpts from the above article originally written by Victoria Riollano on ibelieve.com**