Seeing Everything Depends on God’s Mercy VS Not Seeing Everything Depends on God’s Mercy

 

Seeing Everything Depends on God’s Mercy VS Not Seeing Everything Depends on God’s Mercy

Romans 9:15 “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 

Aspect	Seeing Everything Depends on  God’s Mercy	Not Seeing Everything Depends on God’s Mercy
Meaning	To see that everything that happens to us is entirely out of God’s mercy — not of intention, effort, zeal, or ability. This is a fact, not a feeling.	To fail to recognize God’s mercy and instead attribute things to oneself, effort, luck, circumstances, or personal ability.
Reason	God opens our eyes (Eph 2:4; Matt 9:13) to see that He has mercy on whom He wills (Rom 9:15–18).	The mind, emotion, and will are too strong; the outer man is unbroken; natural life blinds the inner man.
Purpose	To produce humility, emptiness, submission, trust, thanksgiving, worship, tenderness, and compassion; to make us vessels of mercy prepared for glory (Rom 9:23).	To result in pride, self-exaltation, rebellion, complaint, hardness, coldness, and resistance toward God and others.
Explanation	Everything depends on the mercy of “the One who shows mercy,” not on the one who wills or runs (Rom 9:16). All spiritual adjustment depends on God’s mercy.	Emphasis is placed on human ability, zeal, or performance; circumstances are viewed as accidental or self-controlled, leading to extremes (“too much” or “not enough”).
Examples	Watchman Nee’s testimony: Had he gone to the U.S. two months earlier, he would not have met Miss Yu and would not have been saved. Israel’s whole history displays God’s mercy (Rom 9).	People labor many years yet remain lost; strong mind/emotion/will leading to confusion, striving, complaint, dissatisfaction, and spiritual stagnation.
Application	In all things look to God’s mercy, not to feelings. Allow the Spirit to adjust what is “too much” or “not enough.” Practice softness, obedience, and gratitude.	Depend on personal judgment and natural strength; fall into comparison, rushing, frustration, hardness, and self-driven zeal without the Spirit’s leading.
Burden	That every believer would at least once see clearly the fact: “Everything depends on God’s mercy.” This vision governs the Christian life and church life.	To expose the three strong elements of man—mind, emotion, will—which must be broken; otherwise one can never enter into the reality of mercy.
Prophesying Direction	Declare: “We stand, we remain, we follow the Lord today only because of mercy. All things are arranged by Him just right.”	Expose: Human zeal, intention, and running cannot accomplish God’s purpose (Rom 9:16).
Conclusion	“Everything is of God’s mercy.” Only mercy can adjust, renew, preserve, and bring us into glory (Rom 9:23).	Without seeing mercy, spiritual life cannot be rightly adjusted; even zeal becomes fleshly and ends in hardness and dryness.
Detailed Scriptures	Romans 9:18, 23 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills. 23 And in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had beforehand prepared unto glory. Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. Matthew 9:13 “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

 

Summary of Core Points:

1.      God’s mercy is a divine fact, not a feeling.

2.      All spiritual progress depends not on man’s will or effort but on God’s sovereign mercy.

3.      Seeing mercy produces humility, softness, and trust; not seeing mercy produces pride and hardness.

4.      God uses mercy to break the natural strength of mind, emotion, and will.

5.      Those who are vessels of mercy are prepared for glory, not by their doing but by God’s arrangement.

 

*Please refer to the May 2025 International Elders and Responsible Brothers Training, General Topic: Matthew Chapters 5-7, Part 4: Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy and will receive mercy.