But the Israelites pleaded with the Lord and said, “We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.” Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And He was grieved by their misery. – Judges 10: 15-16

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to grieve means to suffer, be in distress, or to feel sorrow.

So that means God was pained by the Israelites’ suffering even when their suffering was self-inflicted!

They chose to abandon God’s law and disobey Him.

It’s astounding that even when we miss the mark by 1,000 yards and mess up big time, He mourns with us as we suffer the consequences.

And He’s always ready to drown us in His everlasting love when we genuinely turn to Him and repent.

The character of man is one that condemns and judges without mercy.

We are quick to abandon others, wave the “shame on you” finger and shroud ourselves in self-righteous indignation.

But thank goodness God doesn’t think the way we think!

If we pray for His forgiveness, He’ll blot out our transgressions and treat us as though we never sinned at all.

Jeffrey Dahmer committed heinous, unthinkable crimes. But when he turned to God, he became as innocent as a dovelet.

Will Smith fell from public grace when he assaulted a man at the Oscars. But should he ask for God’s forgiveness, the deed would be undone as though it never happened.

God’s mercy is truly limitless. It endures forever.

It isn’t God’s desire that we go against His ways, but when we do, He welcomes us back into His grace with the most loving and compassionate forgiveness.

And if God gives us so much grace, we should follow Jesus’ instructions and be as gracious and forgiving with others as He is with us. In fact, He won’t forgive us if we don’t forgive others!

If you’ve been battling guilt, shame, or remorse and you just can’t forgive yourself for the things you’ve done, take heart.

God’s love will reverse and erase even the “worst” of sins.

Be blessed,

Alexia