God’s Abundant Mercy through Trials

How does man compare with God?

Man is a created being. God is eternal—He always was, and He always will be. He is the creator of all.

Man is limited. God is all knowing, all present, all powerful.

Man sins. God does not.

Psalm 139:1-5 says:

“O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou has beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.”

Each trial in our lives makes us more aware of who God is and who we are. We will never know God to the extent that He knows us. It’s just not possible.

When we humble ourselves and acknowledge God’s greatness, we can experience His tremendous mercy—a mercy that endures forever and in every situation.

Mercy demonstrates God’s zeal toward us, His desire to show us His love, even though we don’t deserve it. When we recognize that we are sinful creatures, born in sin, and of a sin nature, and when we recognize that God is holy and righteous, the fact of His mercy toward us is augmented. In this understanding of our nature and of His character we can see hardships as God’s mercy that drives us to repent (i.e. turn from our current way of thinking) and draw near to Him.

I Peter 1:8 says: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

Trials increase our faith in God.

Through Paul’s life he encountered people who wandered from their faith. Listen to what he tells Timothy in I Timothy 1:19-20:

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning fith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

Did Paul want those men to be destroyed? No. He wanted them to learn something important for their relationship with God…not to blaspheme.

Throughout the history of Israel, God allowed bad things to happen to them in order to bring them back to Him. He didn’t leave them to be destroyed. In His mercy He used whatever was necessary to bring them back to Him. That is love. That is mercy.

Let’s not forget, when we face trials, that we will see God’s mercy, if we turn to Him, if we keep our focus on Him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn Squire loves the Lord, loves her husband, and loves her three children. When she's not serving her church or serving her family, she writes. Her book, Joab's Fire, is now available on Amazon.com. You can read more of her work at www.PresentingBiblicalTruths.com.