Mercy and Compassion

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion" Romans 9:15

God has the ability to lay wrath (Romans 9:22) upon that which He hates and that which displeases Him. But He chooses mercy. He chooses compassion. There are times that depression and anxiety lead to bad choices, bad thoughts, bad guidance, bad whatever. God does not call you to blame the depression and anxiety and then move on. He calls you to turn to Him.

When meeting with individuals who are working with their depression and anxiety, a common theme that comes up is recognizing triggers. In fact a big goal in working with depression and anxiety is learning triggers, so that they can be avoided or known prior to experiencing them. Triggers may be certain people, certain situations, songs, smells, fears, etc. Once triggers are recognized and understood, a person can take control of their behaviors and choices to make decisions that best support their need, their wants, and their desired outcomes. This may look like someone choosing not to go to things where there will be a lot of people. This may be a person leaving before dinner is done. This may be a person changing the radio station. This may be someone saying "no" to something. These are aspects of control that someone is taking to manage their feelings and reactions. Without this control and self-management, things can sometimes go array or get out of hand for that person. Keep in mind though that this process is, just that a process, not a destination. Sometimes triggers will be easier to recognize and avoid, and other times they will sneak up out of no where. This is where Mercy and Compassion come into play.

Mercy and compassion are the responses, not reactions, that you can provide another person or yourself when dealing with an out of your control situation. Mercy and compassion are responses to situations that would normally warrant frustration and anger, but instead are met with understanding and empathy. Don't get this wrong. God was still upset with people when they were wrong. And He will still be upset with you when you are wrong. He was still frustrated with them and angry at times. He will still be frustrated and angry at times with you. But instead of showing wrath, He showed mercy and compassion because He is a loving God. It is okay to still be angry and frustrated with yourself or with someone else as a result of the situation. But doing so with mercy and compassion goes a long way. Just because you or someone else shows mercy and compassion does not mean that you or them agree with the behavior or the choices that another person makes. Notice the modeling that He has for you, just because He shows mercy and compassion towards you does not mean that He believes that everything you are doing is righteous. It means that despite the difference in opinions on things that you will still care and want the best for the other person, or yourself.

Scripture:

Romans 9

Romans 9:15

Romans 9:22

Questions:

Mercy is often defined as the decision for God not to punish you, how has He shown you mercy recently?

When experiencing your own depression and anxiety, or the effects of someone else's depression and anxiety, how may mercy and compassion influence a healthier experience?

What areas of depression and anxiety require more compassion?

What are your triggers? How are you communicating these to those who are close to you?

Can God's mercy and compassion in your life, help you with showing that to others? Who? How?

Prayer:

Lord, I pray tonight for those who need your light. I pray for those who have been triggered or have been going through a hard patch right now. I pray that they may be able to recognize your love for them through the mercy and compassion. I pray that others may recognize that depression and anxiety do not make them bad people, and that the negativity that surrounds them at times because of these experiences can be healed through you. Heavenly Father, I pray for those who need your love, your mercy, and your compassion. And I pray that they may recognize this as your invitation to a relationship with them. I pray this in your son's name. Amen.