By now you know that I see God‘s mercy as a literal, energetic force that has the power to restore us to a place of freedom and wholeness. Like any energetic force, God’s mercy has to flow in order to bring about healing and transformation. What does this understanding of God’s mercy mean for us in our everyday life? If we fail to extend mercy to others, we short-circuit our capacity to receive that mercy. If the flow of God’s mercy stops with us, then it stops for us. By contrast, the more we show mercy to others, the more intense the stream of mercy that flows toward us. Showing mercy to others does not mean we let people victimize us or that we do not hold them accountable for their actions. It does mean that we offer them the fresh start and helping hand that God constantly offers to us. Whether or not others receive our offer of mercy is up to them, not us.
Divine God,
Help me remember,
If the flow of your mercy
Stops with me,
Then it stops for me.
