License

Don't overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change.
2nd Peter 3:8-9 The Message

How often do we judge others by their actions and judge ourselves by our intent? How often do we excuse ourselves by "claiming" grace and mercy? Let's get one thing straight.

Romans 6:14-16 NLT makes that very clear - Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Grace and mercy are not license to do whatever we want to do to please our flesh. Well, then what ARE they for? They're for when we are trying to live a holy life, following the mandates of God, but we still make mistakes. We sin because of the weakness of our flesh, Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us, This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Grace and mercy - they're gifts, not excuses. But when the Day of God's Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment. Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements melt down that day—but we'll hardly notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for the promised new heavens and the promised new earth, all landscaped with righteousness. So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master's patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Salvation from sin, not license to sin.
(2nd Peter 3:10-14)

Prayer:

Father,
             Wake up our hearts and minds to know You in YOUR reality, not ours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen