Mercy.
I used to think about the kind of mercy that is when one gets a lesser punishment than one deserves. The kind of mercy I’ve been thinking about recently is different. It has nothing to do with deserving or not deserving. It is about the lessening of suffering or distress.
The longest day of the year is in June. Then the days begin to shorten, and will continue to shorten until mid-December. Those short, cold days are difficult for many people. And, the shorter days mean less heating in August, cooler nights in September, the beauty of fall colors in October. The changing of the seasons is a mercy.
A cold cup of water on a hot day.
Rain falling on dry ground.
Mercy.
The cold of winter, which leads to fewer and smaller bugs in summer.
The ending of a relationship.
Not getting the job.
This, too, is mercy.
Or, it contains mercy.
There was a period when I was out of work for an extended time. What I knew as I journeyed through that time was that it felt really uncomfortable. Trusting that things would work out was difficult. As I look back on that time now, I am grateful for it. That period was a time of healing and restoration, and I emerged with greater self-understanding. It set me up for where I am now. This was a mercy.
I get the clearest perspective in hindsight. In the moment, I cannot tell for sure whether a particular experience or happening will be helpful or not. I know for sure only what it feels like and what similar things have meant for me in the past. I have a choice. I can name experiences as hindrances or roadblocks. I can choose to think of them as mercies, blessings along my way I do not yet understand.
Life comes with hard experiences. I am beginning to trust that when I choose to believe there is a mercy in the hard things, I feel less overwhelmed. I can breathe easier. I remember God. More of the choices available to me become clear and I am better able to call on my courage to act on those choices.
As you experience the hard things, may you be open to the possibility of mercy. May you live into live into a trust that God is with you through it all. May gratitude and delight overcome you, as you recognize the hidden blessings along the way. Peace and mercy be unto you.
Rachael