Two-minute read.
“Recovery isn’t linear,” said the actor on a show I recently watched, although I can’t recall its name or the character. Talking about a person on the show battling addiction, they had gone missing. As they searched for the missing character, the cast discussed how recovery isn’t linear. In other words, recovering people with an addiction fall; they don’t get sober and stay that way. Typically, they will have slips. And so do we. Whatever we battle, we don’t walk a straight line with sin. Often, we repent, only to find ourselves doing it again despite our best efforts. Thankfully, we serve a loyal God who doesn’t give up on us, and we shouldn’t give up on other people, whatever their battles.
Every day we get another chance to do better than the day before. The Lord gives us fresh mercies, and we need them. The line from the show, “recovery isn’t linear,” has stuck with me. When we start our journey with God, we have the best intentions and receive the clean slate He gives us. But then a friend calls, or an incident happens, and we fall back into old habits, doing the things we repented of when we gave our lives to Christ. When those moments happen, the Lord doesn’t turn His back on us; instead, in His faithful love, He gives us fresh mercies every morning.
Writing today’s devotional in the middle of the day, I’ve already asked the Lord for mercy several times, primarily for my thoughts. Amazing how things will pop into your head out of nowhere, and you find yourself thinking things you shouldn’t. Or getting angry and letting the emotion take control, or doing something you shouldn’t do. So many things happen in a day, it’s impossible and unrealistic to think we won’t sin anymore because we gave our lives to Christ.
Realistic expectations help us lean into the Savior, receiving His grace and mercy, but also having grace for ourselves when we slip up, knowing we will. Daily time with God allows Him to search our hearts, reveal the sin within them, help us repent, and try again. Each time we get a little bit better, but we will never reach perfection this side of heaven. Seek the Lord with each new day, receive the mercy He offers, and try again. God sets a model for us to follow; His mercy never ends, and neither should ours for ourselves and others.
Journal Questions:
What area do you struggle with the most?
How does receiving God’s mercies each morning help you?
Who do you need to extend mercy to today?
Friendship Application:
Receive God’s fresh mercies and share them with everyone.
