Busted
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. ~ Psalms 57:1
It feels fitting that today, of all days, I read this scripture. I made a mistake—and got caught. All day long, I’ve been beating myself up about it. This morning on my way to work, I was driving through a school zone, one I drive through almost every day. Normally, the flashing lights and the long line of cars in front of me make it impossible to speed, not that I ever would intentionally.
But today was different. I caught a green light, and there was no traffic ahead. As I neared the top of a hill, I saw rolling red and blue lights in my rearview mirror. My stomach dropped and I realized that it was that time of the day that I needed to be more cautious. I was busted. I hadn’t been paying attention, and I knew I wasn’t going the right speed.
I prayed for mercy as the officer approached my window, but deep down, I knew I was guilty. When he handed me the citation, he informed me that I could plead guilty or not guilty within ten days. As I sat there, all I could think was, “Lord, please don’t let this be too bad.”
I started searching for reasons why God should have mercy on me, but nothing I came up with felt like enough. I had been careless, plain and simple. However, as I thought more about it, something shifted in my heart. Instead of staying in that place of guilt and self-condemnation, I decided to be thankful.
Thankful that I didn’t hurt anyone. Thankful that the officer was there, doing his job, watching out for the safety of children on their way to school. Sure, it hurts to pay a fine, but I realized it could have been so much worse. It was a reminder that there are laws in place to protect lives, and it’s my responsibility to follow them. I don’t want to be reckless and endanger anyone, especially not those innocent lives crossing the street at that time of the morning.
Like David in Psalms 57, I cried out for mercy, and I found comfort in God’s protection—even in the midst of my mistake. David wrote this psalm while hiding from Saul in a cave, asking for God’s mercy and refuge from his enemies. While my situation wasn’t nearly as dire, the message still speaks to me. God’s mercy isn’t just for the big, life-threatening moments—it’s for the everyday moments when we mess up, when we fall short, and when we’re reminded of our need for His grace.
I learned a hard and humbling lesson, but I’m resting in the shadow of God’s wings, knowing that His mercy covers my mistakes, both big and small. Even when we are “busted,” His grace is available, and we can find refuge in Him until the storm passes.
If you’re feeling weighed down by mistakes or trapped in guilt, receive God’s mercy today. He is ready to welcome you with open arms, and He doesn’t hold your mistakes against you. Whether it’s a careless error like speeding or an intentional wrong choice, God’s forgiveness is the same. He died for all sin—there’s nothing He won’t cover with His grace. None of us are perfect, and that’s why we need our perfect Savior. He isn’t looking to condemn you; He wants to love you and set you free. But when we hold onto guilt, we close the door to the fullness of what God wants to pour into our lives.
So today I want to encourage you to let go of any mistakes or regrets that are weighing you down. Don’t let them keep you from running to your Heavenly Father. He already knows what you’ve done, so just confess it to Him and let it go. When you bring your shortcomings to God, it’s not when He finds out—it’s when He starts working through them with you. After you’ve let it go, ask Him to bring good out of the situation. That’s what God does best—He takes what the enemy intended to bring you down and turns it into something good!
Today’s scripture reading: Psalms 57
1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by.
2 I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me.
3 He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
4 My soul is among lions; I lie among the sons of men who are set on fire, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.
6 They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.
8 Awake, my glory! Awake, lute and harp! I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations.
10 For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, and Your truth unto the clouds.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth.
The Daily Dose 