“I will not accuse for ever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me – the breath of man that I have created” (Is 57.16).
In context, God is referring to the nation of Israel. He will not and would not remain angry with them forever. Ultimately, they are mere humans, and subject to human frailty. The heart of God is always compassionate, and we have confidence that He is unchanging.
We know that we are made of dust (Ps 103.14). And God Himself knows this too.
God is powerful beyond our understanding, yet He deals with gentle-ness and kindness, compassion and mercy.
Knowing the frailty of man, there is a further lesson here. That is how we treat others.
I have met people who have lived with constant criticism and condemnation. Their spirits are broken; their perception of the world around them is distorted, they often struggle to develop healthy relationships with others.
In a world where criticism seems to come all too easily, we must learn a better way. Bring criticism sparingly; bring criticism in a context of love and acceptance. Bring criticism which provides an opportunity to put matters right.
When the Lord Jesus criticised the Twelve, He did so in a contact of love and acceptance. In fact, He makes no criticism of them at all until the “get behind me Satan” incident recorded in Matthew 16. By any estimate they had been friends for at least a year. By this time, their friendship was strong enough to include strong criticism. Jesus had no fear that the Twelve would go away (John 6.67).