Crown Of Mercy

Some times I'm leery about giving a prayer request when the request has to do with my heart hurting. I hesitate because I don't want to hear how you think I should feel I just want to be heard.

Have you ever experienced a time when your walking through something in your life and it just really hurts? You share it with the people you love and they tell you how you should feel or say you should be grateful for the test. They give you scriptures in the Bible you should read and pretty much tell you to suck it up and give it to God.

Gems these are not bad things but seriously sometimes all I want is a hug and a hand to walk with me through my experience. I want a shoulder to cry on and a tissue for my tears. I don't want your advice, your Christian sayings or your pious opinion of my situation. I want you to love me with mercy and grace. We can get to the other stuff later.

The truth is there are seasons in all our lives. They aren't good or bad there just part of the cycle of life. Just because we mourn a part of life we're not ready to let go of doesn't mean we don't celebrate the part of life that is to come. It just means we will miss the part we are letting go of. 

That can't be wrong there's a verse in the Bible that expresses my very thought.

Proverbs 20:25 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

We have to be careful with our words they can help or hurt. Proverbs gives great advice about kind words.

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

We as Christians, and I include myself in this, like to talk about the crown of authority we have through Jesus and it's true we do have authority. We reign over sin and death but we serve with love and kindness.

Proverbs 103:4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.

As you know all these jewels are stories from my own life and I'm guilty in all of them. It's the things I'm experiencing at the time that make me search my own heart. I recently asked the Holy Spirit to reveal something new about God to me. As the day went on I didn't feel like He showed me anything about God personally. I asked Him “Holy Spirit your not showing me anything, why?”

Oh Gena, how many times have I warned you about asking the Holy Spirit questions....

This is what He said to me “Gena, every time I teach you something about yourself that doesn't look like Jesus I'm showing you something new about what God looks like.”

UGH....

What I learned Gems is we have to learn about God's sovereignty and holiness in balance with learning about His love and grace.

Robert Morris said something that rocked my world. “God is so merciful that even His throne is called the Mercy Seat.”

Gems let's work together to be compassionate to each other. Listen when your brother or sister is hurting and instead of giving your personal opinion on the situation give a hug and a kind word.

Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Let's remember Christ made us Kings to reign over sin and Priest to connect with each other. Forgive those who haven't handled your pain in the best way. Teach them what you learned about God in a loving way because I can guarantee you they will experience this themselves one day.  God help me to take hold of their hand and walk with them in mercy so together we can wear your crown of Mercy.