Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7, 3 Nephi 12:7)
Mercy can satisfy the demands of Justice (Alma 34:16)
Mercy is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Maybe its because I've seen a lot of people around me suffering over the last several months. Where has the mercy been in their suffering? Where has the mercy been in my suffering?
I guess part of this has been spurred by the suffering and passing of my Grandmother. At the end of her life, my Grandmother suffered from hallucinations relating to dementia. Some were quite upsetting; seeing a dog hit by a car, war raging outside her window, and others. She had lived a lot of her life in a paranoid/fearful state. So why, at the end of her 94 years, was she made to suffer with upsetting hallucinations. Why couldn't she be at peace at the end of her life? Where was the mercy? I asked this over and over, I still don't really understand why she had to suffer through this. I have to put my trust in a Heavenly Father that knows what's best for us.
This can be hard as we have agency/free will which can lead us away from the trusted path of Heavenly Father. When we stray, do we deserve mercy? This is a resounding yes! Mercy is a form of love which is what Christ commands us to give each other...love. This does not mean that you put yourself or others in a situation that is harmful, mercy is not to be at the detriment of the one giving mercy, but you can still be kind and merciful without harming yourself or others.
Its hard in today's political environment to find mercy from either side. Our ability to find any love or kindness for the opposing views is becoming more and more obvious. I have to admit, I am guilty of this. I have some thoughts and not so kind views of our current administration because of the lack of mercy that they show. Yet, I need to be more merciful in my view and the way I talk about the other views. Differing views are important, they help us love each other more deeply as we see where things are rooted in each belief. Does this mean I am going to change my views, No! It does mean that I may be more willing to listen closer for that love and mercy instead of throwing out everything that is being said.
There are bad and evil things in this life; it is natural for us to want to lash out and get revenge for things that have harmed us or wronged us. Before calling out for retribution, ask yourself, is this really going to harm someone? What type of love am I showing? There was a teen that set a fire in our beautiful Columbia River Gorge this past summer. It has destroyed several favorite trails. There was anger at this teen for this action. Honestly, people were so hostile on social media that any reports of the name of this teen or when the teen would be in court were withheld for the safety of the teen. I was angry at the stupidity and wanted the book thrown at this teen, what would that accomplish? It was a stupid teenage action. Can any of us say we didn't do stupid shit when we were teens? I can't. "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her" John 8:7. Stupid shit is part of being a teenager. As a book my Mom read during my teen years, it is the stage of normal psychosis. We need to show mercy rather than vilify those who we perceive to have wronged us.
I have tried to stay neutral politically and spiritually w/ this blog but am realizing that: 1) Many of my musings start as spiritual thoughts 2) my life revolves around my spirituality 3) that my spirituality and beliefs drive my political views 4) it would not be fair to you to hold back as I would not be the person you know and love if I continued to stay neutral. Saying this, my intent is not to disparage or put down. Views expressed here are mine and I am not wanting to force my beliefs onto anyone else. There will always be someone who is offended or upset, this is not my intent. You have been dually warned.
I pray that you are uplifted and that your heart is filled with joy and love.
Namaste,
Bridget
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