April 11, 2011

• Embraced in Mercy

  I have strengths that are not Blake’s strengths. I am stronger at public speaking, communication, grammar, spelling, and creative writing. It is not difficult for me to get places on time. I am a deeper thinker, more organized, and more proactive about planning for the future. Blake, on the other hand, has many strengths that are not my strengths. One of his greatest strengths “happens to be” one of my greatest weaknesses, and that is: Mercy

  I have compassion for causes, but I tend to have little mercy for individuals. I go through times where any mercy that I do have dries up to a small, muddy puddle. That is what I found in myself last night. Yesterday was a very good day. It was uplifting and just plain fun. Church was awesome, lunch with friends was relaxing and inspiring, and I had the opportunity to speak to our youth about purity which is one of my most favorite subjects. But sometime during the late evening I made a comment to Blake about something that frustrated me and out of me came an outpouring of haughty judgment on a broad range of subjects. He listened quietly. We had to put the kids to bed, and get ready for bed ourselves and it was at least an hour before we were laying in bed, alone once again. By that time, conviction had hit full force. I inched myself as close to him as I could and in the darkness of our room I confessed, “I don’t like all these feelings inside of me, but I don’t know what to do about it.” He pulled me close and began to talk…..about mercy.

  About how we are each full of humanness and imperfections.
  About how we don’t want people to define us by our imperfections so we should not do that to others.
  About how if we are really going to love people we have to love all of them: the good and the bad.
  About how freeing it is to decide to see the good in people.
  About how forgiveness and understanding brings joy and makes your life more beautiful.

  And as he talked I easily clung to every spoken truth, because each word was covered in mercy for me.

  I was embraced in mercy by my husband.
  I am embraced in mercy by my Heavenly Father.
  And now, I am ready once again to embrace those around me with the same mercy that has been so lovingly shown to me.

  • 1:50 pm
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