I've been thinking alot lately about God's love and mercy. I think it is something that is hard for us to really comprehend or understand. Part of the reason I think we experience sin and trials is because they can be key parts in helping us gain a better understanding of God's love and mercy.
When I think of mercy I think of the hymn, "I Stand All Amazed." "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Confused at the grace that so fully He proffers me." I think of that hymn because as I've lately realized - we don't ever DESERVE mercy. We deserve justice - when we sin, we break law(s) and justice demands payment for that. But the Savior steps in for us if we repent - so though we don't deserve it, the Savior offers it. He will and has satisfied the demands of justice, so when we sin, if we turn to Him, He willingly offers us mercy. One of the main gifts of the Atonement is mercy. That is why mercy is amazing - we can receive it without ever really deserving it. And we will all need mercy at some time in our lives, if not multiple times. 
And mercy has the power to change us - not only to help us make the decision not to make the same mistakes but also to help us want to be more merciful to others. I look on others and their mistakes with compassion, knowing I've received such without deserving it. I understand what it is to struggle with something. To repeatedly approach the throne of mercy, asking again for forgiveness. Mercy makes me feel grateful and undeserving. Part of me knows when I make a mistake that it is mine. I should have to suffer the full and complete consequences for it. But the Lord does not condemn us for making mistakes - He knew we would and He knows our own personal struggles and difficulties that lead to those mistakes. He knows us perfectly and loves us perfectly. He cannot condone those mistakes but if we will repent, that is the one condition for mercy - to not have to suffer completely for our own mistakes. He offers us mercy and we only are condemned if we don't repent.
And through that mercy we can better understand God's love for us. Often for us as humans, our love can be changed or is conditional on others' actions. We start and stop loving people as we go throughout or lives. Some times it is because of our actions, other times because of theirs. We often love based on conditions or needs. Pure love is DIFFICULT!
But Heavenly Father and the Savior love us regardless of our actions and behaviors. They love us when we mess up. They love us when we mess up BADLY. They love us when we make choices that hurt others or hurt ourself or both. They love us when we don't love ourself or love others. They love us when we are happy. They love us when we are sad or in the depths of pain and discouragement. Their love does not change no matter what we do. That is pretty amazing.
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