One of my favorite hymns is "Great is Thy Faithfulness." That great song has sustained so many Christians through times of distress, loss, and struggle. The hymn is written based on Lamentations 3:22-23 which says, "The Lord's loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."
This passage from the Old Testament (and the great hymn) reminds me that God has mercy on His children every single day. Now, I know that some days come and they do not feel merciful. Sometimes, even Christians, are hurt, lied about, betrayed, diagnosed, injured, and attacked. And yet, even on those days, God has new mercies for us.
Where is God's mercy when I am sick?
Even in times of illness, God gives mercy. Our sicknesses remind us that our life is in God's hands, not ours. It causes us to re-evaluate our life and rethink what matters. It stirs our hearts to love the simple things in life: faith and family. Indeed, God rains down His mercies even on those days.
Where is God's mercy when I have lost a loved one?
It may just be that we sense God's mercy the most in the days of our deepest pain. Death and loss remind us that this earth is not our true home. Heaven and eternity far outweigh things of this world and the here-and-now. Even in days of sadness, God pours down His mercy by reminding us that "here we have no lasting city, but we seek a city which is to come" (Hebrews 13:14). It is painful to be reminded of how short life on earth is, but it is a mercy of God to incline our hearts away from the temporary and towards the eternal.
Where is God's mercy when my friends betray me and my foes attack me?
This is a tough one, isn't it?! It is never fun to see your friends turn on you or your enemies try to injure you. And yet, the Bible is still true...God's mercies are new EVERY morning (without exception). When people come against you, it reminds us that God is more than enough. It is true that one of God's sweetest gifts in our lives are family and friends, but it is also true that in Christ, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. God has a plan, even through days of adversity, and that plan is to get us to rely on Him, to trust in Him, and to build our hope upon Him. We can talk about trust and read about faith, but it seems that we truly learn these truths the hard way...and when we do truly learn them, it is indeed a great mercy of God. One of the hidden mercies of feeling alone is realizing that a Christian is truly never alone. Our God is an ever present refuge for those who run to Him.
I know that many are struggling with sickness, the death of a loved one, and various other trials. Let me encourage you to "consider it pure joy" (James 1:2-3) when you face those days because you will not face them alone. God will walk right beside you and will surround you with mercies that are new every single morning. Even in the darkest of days, His mercies are ever-present. Never will there be a sunrise that does not bring with it the mercies of the Lord. Great is His faithfulness!
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