Sometimes I get so frustrated with my human nature. I want to be more like God, but that nasty humanness rears its ugly head when I least expect it.

Have you ever had that happen? You determine to be a godlier person and then something happens. A co-worker snaps at you and you snap right back. It’s the end of the day, you’re tired, and the person in front of you is so slow, keeping you from getting home and putting your feet up. The list can go on and on. 

There comes a point when we forget what it means to be like God in our actions and thoughts. What should we strive for in our daily life?

One of my favorite verses is Joel 2:13. The verse is so clear about God’s character and gives us an idea of what we can do to change our human traits to godliness. 

“So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the Lord your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.” (Joel 2:13)

There are four traits of God mentioned in the verse above.

1)He is gracious and merciful.

2)Slow to anger

3)Of great kindness

4)He relents from doing harm.

In looking at this list, I believe if you do the first one, all the others will fall into place. Someone who is gracious and merciful will also be slow to anger and will show great kindness. They will relent from doing harm because they are showing mercy. 

If we wonder how God demonstrated these traits to people, we only need to look at Biblical examples. He showed mercy to Noah and his family by delivering them from the flood. When Abraham asked for grace for the people of Sodom, God extended that grace if there were as few as ten people in the city. He extended mercy to David when he repented of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.

God gave grace and showed mercy to Saul, a man who persecuted Christians, seeking them out to be put to death. And He offered grace and mercy to the whole world with the sacrifice of His son.

With God’s example before us, we should treat each situation with great consideration as we learn to act likewise. This isn’t something that comes naturally to those with a human nature. It takes practice, working every moment of every day, to change into a godlier person.

When people become annoying and situations stress us beyond what we think we can take, we must ask God to help us demonstrate his mercy and kindness, to not wish harm to anyone. We must consider that, as Christians, we are called to show God’s love toward others and to demonstrate His characteristics.

Perhaps, at the end of the day, we should go over all out actions and consider these four points.

Ask ourselves: Did I handle that with grace and mercy? Was I slow to anger and did I keep a cool head? Did I demonstrate kindness? Did I wish harm on this person or would I delight if harm came to them? If we failed in any of these, we ask forgiveness and determine to do better from then on.

If we do this every day, then we will become accustomed to this attitude Then our lives will begin to change and we will reflect God’s loving kindness to all those around us.