By contributing writer Melinda Douglass
When I was younger I perceived God as someone who would always get angry. It was because that is what I was taught. You sin, God is angry. You don’t pray, God is angry. I felt as if it was impossible to please God because I kept messing up. If you have been in the same boat I’m here to tell you that is far from the truth!
Psalms 103:8 says the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
This means that he is full of compassion, he gives us unmerited favor, he is slow to becoming angry with us and OVERWHELMINGLY full of love!
This is evident in our walk with God. How many times have you turned away from God or done something you know you shouldn’t have and God still opened his arms when you came running back? If your life has been anything like mine the answer is too many times.
God is a good God, who is kind, loving, fair, understanding, gives us things we don’t deserve and keeps us from punishment we do deserve. He truly desires for everyone to prosper not only in his kingdom but while we are here on earth.
So next time you go left when God told you to go right or call that “friend” you should have left a long time ago, don’t walk in shame. Remember that God forgives, he is compassionate, he is gracious, he is slow to anger and he is abounding in love.