Mercy can be an incredible spiritual gift to have. It comes more naturally to some than others, but it is something scripture commands of us. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” Luke 6:36. We serve a God who is rich in mercy and abounding in love. When this scripture is taken to heart, God’s love overflows in our hearts and it’s a beautiful thing.
With that being said, the helping profession and ministries of mercy can be very complicated. Sometimes it involves stepping into very broken, messy lives that contain deep patterns of sin and dysfunction. Our hearts ache for others who are hurting, but when is it our place to help and when do we need to step back and allow Christ to work and transform like only He can do? In an effort to help someone, it’s possible that we can actually enable him or her in the process.
In her article “Setting Ministry Boundaries,” April Motl says, “It is humanly impossible to know for certain what act of grace will spur a woman on to Christ and which one will simply encourage unhealthy behavior – that requires God’s wisdom and discernment.” We just never know, but what we can do is pray and trust God in situations that feel impossible. And we can teach others to do the same.
When involved in the ministry of mercy, it’s helpful to step back and ask yourself if you are working harder at changing the other person’s life than they are. If the answer is yes, it may be time to take a step back and re-evaluate.
If you are looking for a good read on this topic, you can read April’s article here:
