Exploring the Character of God: The Transformative Power of God’s Goodness, Grace, Mercy, and Patience

Are you ready to embark on an enlightening journey that will stir your soul and inspire your spirit?  In this episode, we explore the transformative power of God's divine attributes – His goodness, mercy, grace, and patience.

 
References
A. W. Tozer and David E. Fessenden, The Attributes of God: A Journey into the Father’s Heart, vol. 1
The Nature of God by A.W. Pink
Systematic Theology 2nd edition by  Wayne Grudem  

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

Welcome to Faithfully Living, the podcast where we learn how to live for Christ in our daily lives. I am Dwayne, your host, and I would like to invite you on a journey with me to explore and learn how to be a faithful follower of Christ. Let me tell you your story. Once upon a time, in a quaint little village nested between rolling hills, there lived an elderly woman named Grace. She was known throughout the village for her unwavering kindness, boundless patience and endless well of mercy in her heart. Grace's humble cottage was adorned with vibrant flowers that bloom even in the harshest winters. Her garden was a place of beauty and serenity, a testament to the patience she exhibited in nurturing year after year.

Speaker 1: 1:13

One cold, gloomy day, a weary traveler named Samuel arrived in the village. Samuel had made several grave mistakes in his past and guilt weighted heavy on him. He was in search of redemption and a fresh start, but he carried with him the heavy burden of his past action Filling lost and hopeless Samuel wandered into Grace's garden. He was struck by his extraordinary beauty. Even amongst the gloomiest of days, grace, a warm and gentle woman with a smile, could light up the darkest of places. Approached Samuel, welcome, dear traveler. She greeted him. You look like you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. What troubles your heart Were tears in his eyes.

Speaker 1: 2:03

Samuel shared his story with Grace. The best thing is past mistakes and the pain they had caused. Grace listened patiently, her heart filled with empathy and understanding. She knew that Samuel needed more than just a listening ear. He needed a chance at redemption. Let me tell you a story, samuel Grace began. Her voice was soothing as a gentle breeze. Many years ago, I too was burdened by my past. I had many choices. I had made choices I deeply regretted, but I found solace in the grace and mercy of God. His patience allowed me to find my way and his grace granted me forgiveness. Samuel was deeply moved by Grace's words. It was as though he had found a kindred spirit who had walked a similar path of redemption. Inspired by her story, he asked Do you believe there is still hope for someone like me? Grace, absolutely, she replied. Her eyes reflected the kindness that filled her soul. Grace's, god's grace is infinite, his mercy endless and his patience without limit. Just as my garden blooms in the harshest of winters, there's a chance for renewal in the darkest of times.

Speaker 1: 3:33

With Grace's guidance, samuel began his journey towards redemption. He surrendered his life to Christ and purposed to follow him. He worked diligently to make amends for his past actions, extending kindness to others and showing patience and understanding to those who wronged him. Years passed and the Villots witnessed a remarkable transformation in Samuel. He became known for his unwavering patience, boundless mercy and a heart filled with grace. It was as if the very virtues he had sought had taken root in his soul. As time went by, grace's garden thrived and blue bloomed, more vibrant and beautiful than ever. It served as a concert minor that, even in the darkest moments, the grace, mercy and patience of a loving God could guide individual sports, redemption and transformation. The story of Grace and Samuel became a beloved legend in the village, a testament to the enduring power of grace, mercy and peace to transform even the most troubled souls into beacons of light and hope.

Speaker 1: 5:06

Over the last couple of episodes we have been exploring the attributes of God, his nature. The more we understand on some level, the more we can live to serve Him better. There is no attribute of God that is better than or greater than the other. There are His character and His attributes, how God has chosen to reveal Himself in Scripture to us. There are certain times in our lives where we will lean on one attribute or the other because they give us more comfort in our situation.

Speaker 1: 5:43

What comes to mind when you think about the goodness of God? Where have you seen the goodness of God in your life? In a world marked by turmoil and uncertainty, it is hard many times to see good in things. Sometimes we have to pull from the recesses of our minds and remind ourselves of God's goodness in our lives. It could be something small like having a good day at work, or something more impactful for God, allowing your house to sell in a bad market when you have to move to another state. So the standard of goodness is God. He is the highest good, the best good. There is nothing that can compare with Him.

Speaker 1: 6:28

I like the way AW Tozer explains God's goodness. He says God is kindhearted, gracious, good-natured and benevolent in intention. He is infinitely good but, most importantly, he is perfectly good. God is never partway anything. So when we look at other attributes of God, such as His mercy, grace and patience, they are attributes in and of themselves, but they are an aspect of His goodness. So God's mercy can be seen in conjunction with His goodness to those who are distressed or suffering. God's mercy is closely intertwined with His compassion. When we are going through a rough time in our lives, god is always present to give mercy in our greatest time of need. The assurance of God's mercy can bring us inner peace, knowing that a compassionate God is always available to offer solace and guidance for us.

Speaker 1: 7:43

2 Corinthians 1-3-4 in the ESV says Blessed be the God and Father of a Lord, jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in inflection with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. We also can see God's mercy in the gift of salvation. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, he could have done away with them and then just started all over again, but he didn't. He didn't have to send Christ to die for humanity that was affected by Adam and Eve's sin, but God showed His mercy by providing a way for us to be with Him forever, even though we were lost in our sins. He sent Christ to die for us, so His mercy extended to where we could spend eternity, if we embrace His mercy in this area and in our lives.

Speaker 1: 8:52

Ephesians 2, 4-9 says but God being which, in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. By grace we have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Put it in the coming ages he may show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. It is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. So we can also see God's goodness also reflected in his grace to us. Rain Grudem tells us this.

Speaker 1: 9:56

With respects to the attributes of grace, we find that Scripture emphasizes God's grace. Our is favored towards those who deserve no favor but only punishment. It's never obligated, but is always freely given. On God's part, god says I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy. And I was exorcised. 3319, quoted in Romans 9.15. And he also says Yet God is regularly gracious toward his people. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name, and that sounds 119.132. So God's grace is something that we don't deserve. It's a merit to favor and love that God gives to humanity us. We can't earn it and it's a gift that's freely given, regardless of our past actions or our shortcomings.

Speaker 1: 10:57

Romans 3.23-25 in ESV says For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because in his divine forbearance he have passed over former sins. You know, we all know the hymn Amazing Grace written by John Newton that says Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. Let's save the wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found. I was blind, but now I see. So you see, in our most sinful state, god chose to offer salvation to us. This is the goodness of God to us.

Speaker 1: 12:08

Alright, next is going to be patience. So we all struggle, a lot of us struggle with patience. You know, we're always in a hurry. People slow us down, there's long lines, people are late for appointments, we got traffic. You know. The list goes on and on.

Speaker 1: 12:30

So another aspect of God's goodness is His patience, are what they call His long suffering. So in His patience it means that God withholds punishment for a time to those who deserve it. Aw Pink defines it as the divine patience, as the power of control with God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forbear so long in punishing them. N'hum 1.3 says the Lord is slow to anger, great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has His way, and in the whirlwind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of His feet. So in God's patience he delays punishment and he delays judgment. And it's not because God is afraid to act or lack of power, but it is because he is good and he shows mercy and grace for a time to those who deserve punishment.

Speaker 1: 13:36

N'hum 14.18 in the King James says the Lord is long suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquities of the followers, of the children, until the third and fourth generation. So I'm so glad that God doesn't lose His temper because he has a plan. God is not overwhelmed by capricious emotions like us, but he acts within His nature. So, because of His goodness, god is not going to let evil run rampant forever. Iniquity is part of the cause and source of the evil, along with Satan trying to destroy and upend God's plans. There will be, and there is going to be, an end point to all of this madness that we see. In the meantime, god is extending grace and mercy, redemption and forgiveness to those who receive it. N'hum's 8615 says but thou, o Lord, are a God full of compassion and gracious. Long suffering and plenty, as in mercy and truth.

Speaker 1: 15:02

So, in the story at the beginning of the episode, it illustrated someone who demonstrated grace, mercy and patience to another person. Grace, mercy and patience are traits that we all should be exhibiting to those around us because, as believers, we have been given them in abundance by God. So how can we show mercy to others? One way is forgiveness. We can show mercy by forgiving others for their mistakes and wrongdoings. We should offer forgiveness without holding any grudges or trying to seek revenge, but we have to remember that, while, though, we may not be able to forget but we should forgive people we can offer people a second chance. We all make mistakes. We go through challenging times, so sorry, mercy and offering a second chance for people to make amends or have a fresh start. We can give them support and guidance as they work towards a positive change, if that person is willing to make the effort to make that change. And then how can we show grace to others? You can extend grace to others by hearing them, trying to understand what's going on in their lives, trying to see a different point of view than ourselves. We shouldn't jump to conclusions, a judge, too quickly. We should actually listen to them and then, if need be and if appropriate, we should share the truth in love. Alright, so how can we show patience to others?

Speaker 1: 16:54

First thing we should do is try to control your reactions. No one will face which frustrations or challenging situations. Take a moment to collect your thoughts before responding. You don't want to respond impulsively or in anger or, you know, in frustration, because it rarely leads to positive results. Second, stay calm. You know. Try to keep your emotions in check, especially during heated situations. So take a minute, take a deep breath, count to ten and then try to respond in a calm and composed demeanor. It can help like diffuse attention and lead to a more productive conversation and, lastly, maintain a perspective when you are rushed and interacting with people.

Speaker 1: 17:53

So remember that people make mistakes. We all have bad days. People may not meet our expectations. We have to keep in mind that nobody's perfect. We're not even perfect. So we should have realistic expectations when dealing with people in general. So don't set overly high, rigid expectations of others. Understand that everyone has limitations and expecting too much can lead to unnecessary frustration.

Speaker 1: 18:33

So as I end this episode, I hope and pray that you reflect on the mercy, grace and patience of God. You know, in a world marked by haste and judgment, the concept of God's mercy, grace and patience can sign as a beacon of love and compassion. So God's concept of God's mercy reflects on the idea that our Creator is ever ready to forgive and extend His loving kindness to us. God's mercy offers the promise of redemption and a fresh start. It's a powerful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God's compassion and forgiveness.

Speaker 1: 19:21

And then also, when we think about God's grace, remember that His unmerited favor and blessings bestowed upon us by a benevolent Creator. It's a gift freely given. It signifies that God's love is not contingent on our deeds or our wordiness. God's grace underscores the idea that we are valued and cherished simply because we exist. And then we also have to remember God's patience. It's the enduring and steadfast nature of our Creator. It signifies a patient, compassionate waiting, allowing us the time and space needed to repent and grow and learn so, as we navigate this complex life, we can draw inspiration from God's mercy, grace and patience, and then also extend that compassion and forgiveness to ourselves and to others. Alright, so that's it for this episode. Remember God is always good and he's always faithful. Thank you for listening to the podcast. Do me a favor by following the podcast and leaving a review to help spread the word. I look forward to hearing from you.