255. Show Mercy

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Patrick Day

the good samaritanPicture to left: The Good Samaritan

We all encounter troublesome people: those who rub us the wrong way. When they come into our lives, we have two choices  – judge them or show mercy. I have learned from the Epistle of James to be slow to judge but quick to show mercy, for mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:130.

What does this have to do with depression and other dark places? Have you not noticed that those who judge others harshly are themselves most miserable, and those who show mercy to all are themselves most happy?

Choosing mercy over judgment was one of the ingredients that drew me out of major depression, for it freed my mind from negative ruminations to focus on the blessings around me, even troublesome people.

About Patrick Day

In 2010, I escaped from four long years of deep, dark depression. This blog shares lessons I learned from those years as depicted in my autobiography - How I Escaped from Depression - as well as other insights about depression and anxiety that only come from someone who has gone through it. When you have a heart attack, you become an expert in heart attacks. When you have diabetes, you become an expert in that condition. As such, I am an expert in depression, with a four-year experiential degree and graduate studies in how to live a life going forward that keeps the ever-lurking Depression at a healthy distance.
This entry was posted in Doing Healthy Things, Emotional Wellness, Living a Spiritual Life. Bookmark the permalink.

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