God's Mercy

      By Fern Horst

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (I Corinthians 10:13)

Sometimes the Bible seems full of dos and don'ts that seem impossible to obey. There is also no doubt that Christ has called us to the way of the cross. In a society where there is so much emphasis on personal fulfillment and getting our needs met, living a life of self-denial seems drab, wearisome, and even impossible.

But there's hope. And promises from the God Who has given us these dos and don'ts. When it seems impossible to live life as a celibate Christian single, as a committed and loyal friend or family member, as a faithful employee whose boss seems impossible and demanding, or as a servant in a church where no one seems to understand, we have a promise to hold onto. God knows our limits. He remembers that we are human. And He has promised that in every situation there will be a means of escape from succumbing to any temptation we may be experiencing, even the temptation to just give up. Not only will He provide an escape, He will also enable us to bear it.

You may be feeling at the end of your rope, that you can no longer continue to live a Godly life in your present circumstances. Those feelings are our humanness combined with our enemy's lies to disarm us and wear us down to the point where we think our only choice is to give in. It's at the moment of our deepest discouragement that we can claim God's mercy and faithfulness, and know that He will provide a way to not give in to the pressure.

His provision comes in different forms. Sometimes it's through the encouragement of someone else. Sometimes it's through reading His Word. Sometimes the escape comes through a change in circumstances, or a thought He suddenly gives us which changes our perspective. In other words, sometimes He takes us out of the situation, and other times He gives us the grace to bear it.

Whatever the escape is, we can be sure that it will be there just when we need it. Look for His mercy in those moments this week when He enables you to keep on keeping on, even when you'd rather not.

© 2000 Fern Horst

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