It’s hard to face our own hypocrisy. We feel justified in our anger; even righteous about it. The other person? They hurt us or betrayed us. And we harden our hearts towards them a little bit. We just can’t forgive them. We don’t think they deserve it.

But here’s the thing: if we were honest with ourselves, wouldn’t we have to admit that God has forgiven us for many things? And in how many of those instances did we deserve his forgiveness?

How can we set the bar so high for others, when we can’t even attain that standard ourselves?

Speaker and author Patsy Clairmont shared on a podcast in early 2020 that her goal for that year was to “ask God to make space inside of me for the changes inside of others.” She explained that we don’t remember what God’s mercy has done for us. We begin to put ourselves on a little pedestal, believing that we are above certain things, certain behaviors. And we fail to extend that same mercy to others.

But God wants us to remember. We need to remember. It’s part of God’s plan for redemption. He will use those circumstances in our lives to humble us and teach us sensitivity and compassion. To teach us forgiveness and mercy.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14