Choosing “Mercy” when Darkness Calls
“This current email from you was particularly stirring, as I have been more than troubled to follow the Gosnell trial, and now the verdict comes today. The stories of his practice and clinic have been bone chilling in the details these past weeks, and I could not breathe to read them. This morning it appeared the jury was hung, but thankfully the judge sent them back, and thankfully they returned a verdict for the lives of those lost little ones.. My own abortion haunts me yet, but in those moments of sadness, I have most often found a way to let myself be carried to deep reflection and remember your ever constant reminders of mercy. Almost every time I have heard you, or read anything you write, you are so clear about mercy. Thus, despite time limitations and life stresses, my healing continues, and most times now I choose mercy when darkness calls. “ Mary Ellen Hancock
Being post abortive we have all heard the call of darkness. In fact, we have often sat in it for years before finding the help we needed to heal from our abortions. We have all also heard the echoings of the voice of darkness…. “You can never be forgiven for what you have done”, “You are a murderer and you deserve hell.”, “There is no mercy for you, that is just what they are saying”. I could go on and on.
Even after healing the “darkness” will try to get us. “Look they do not really care”; “No one can love you after what you have done, even God”; “This won’t last, wait until he finds out what you did.”; “You do not deserve happiness”. It can be unrelentless and exhausting to ward off the voices of despair as we try to cling to the hope we have been given through Jesus Christ.
So, what do we do when we experience this “darkness” this echoing?
- We can refuse to listen. I know it is easier said than done but we can confirm ourselves in truth and tell the voices just that, their message is not the truth. God is mercy and yes, we are forgiven.
- We can reach out to our support systems in post abortion healing who can help us to work through the feelings, understand how they are probably connectors for us, and identify them so that they loose power.
- We can accept the fact that they are happening and chose not to fight them but wait them out. Perhaps get busy doing other things so we do not dwell on them but instead do good someplace else.
- Most importantly we can spend time in prayer reflecting on the One who is truth and mercy Himself, knowing He is there with us in spite of what we are feeling or hearing in our head.
We can “choose mercy” because :
- mercy is real,
- mercy is giving,
- mercy is peaceful,
- mercy is comforting,
- mercy is healing,
- mercy is loving,
- mercy is patient
- mercy is humble
- mercy is truth
- mercy is Jesus Christ, who died for our sins so we may have life, even our sin of abortion.
All praise and honor and glory to Him!
