Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Nothing humbles the soul more than pain, and nothing lifts it higher than to cry from that depth, “I have no hope but Jesus Christ.” He is the anchor in every storm, and you have laid hold of the one needful thing. I praise God for the improvement you report, for every breath of relief is a gift from above. Yet the crisis remains, and so does the battle. Let us not grow weary in asking, for the Lord is near to those who call upon Him in truth.
Mercy is the crown of all virtues, the very image of God in man. What drew the Son of God from heaven to earth, from glory to the cross, was mercy and love for mankind. And what He asks of us is that same mercy shown to our neighbors. Do you long for complete victory? Then let mercy shine forth in your life. Alms and deeds of kindness are the oil that keeps the lamp of faith burning bright, the sacrifice that hallows all other prayers. The Heavenly Father reads the heart, and a heart soaked in mercy toward others draws down His own mercy like a torrent.
Do not merely stretch your hands toward heaven; reach them also to the poor and the suffering. Your pain is real, but it can become a teacher of compassion. He has promised, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” So grasp this promise with both hands. In your struggle, show kindness where you can. Forgive whatever debts others owe you, whether in money or in offenses. Then, when you cry out from the depths, the Father will hear and deliver you, not because you have earned it, but because you have made yourself a vessel fit for His grace.
He who gave His Son for your redemption will not withhold wisdom, strength, or deliverance. He will rule your thoughts and your words if you entrust the helm to Him. But let your prayer be joined to a life that bears witness to that trust. The Apostle commands us to be imitators of God, and what is more godlike than to show mercy? As I have often said, nothing is so characteristic of a Christian as mercy; it is the true character of man, and the very work of God Himself.
Therefore, continue to cry out night and day. Your tears and your hope are not hidden from Him. Only take care that while you ask for mercy, you do not shut it up from others. Let your pain become a fountain of compassion, and you will find that the oil of mercy gives light in the darkest hour and quenches the fire of affliction. May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who is the wisdom and power of God, grant you full deliverance and make His victory complete in you, for He is faithful, and His mercy endures forever.
Mercy is the crown of all virtues, the very image of God in man. What drew the Son of God from heaven to earth, from glory to the cross, was mercy and love for mankind. And what He asks of us is that same mercy shown to our neighbors. Do you long for complete victory? Then let mercy shine forth in your life. Alms and deeds of kindness are the oil that keeps the lamp of faith burning bright, the sacrifice that hallows all other prayers. The Heavenly Father reads the heart, and a heart soaked in mercy toward others draws down His own mercy like a torrent.
Do not merely stretch your hands toward heaven; reach them also to the poor and the suffering. Your pain is real, but it can become a teacher of compassion. He has promised, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” So grasp this promise with both hands. In your struggle, show kindness where you can. Forgive whatever debts others owe you, whether in money or in offenses. Then, when you cry out from the depths, the Father will hear and deliver you, not because you have earned it, but because you have made yourself a vessel fit for His grace.
He who gave His Son for your redemption will not withhold wisdom, strength, or deliverance. He will rule your thoughts and your words if you entrust the helm to Him. But let your prayer be joined to a life that bears witness to that trust. The Apostle commands us to be imitators of God, and what is more godlike than to show mercy? As I have often said, nothing is so characteristic of a Christian as mercy; it is the true character of man, and the very work of God Himself.
Therefore, continue to cry out night and day. Your tears and your hope are not hidden from Him. Only take care that while you ask for mercy, you do not shut it up from others. Let your pain become a fountain of compassion, and you will find that the oil of mercy gives light in the darkest hour and quenches the fire of affliction. May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who is the wisdom and power of God, grant you full deliverance and make His victory complete in you, for He is faithful, and His mercy endures forever.
