It may appear at times as though the wicked have all the advantage over the righteous, but it is important to note that the LORD has never lost His control of this world. The Bible says of God that His soul hateth “him that loveth violence.” Yet, “The LORD trieth the righteous” and often accomplishes this through the wickedness of the wicked. According to the psalms, the wicked “bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart” (Psalm 11:2), and the Lord allows this to happen. Why? Because He wants to reveal the hearts of those who claim to fear Him. In the end, the Lord will take care of His own but will “rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest” upon the wicked (Psalm 11:6).
God’s compassion originates from His mercy and grace and the way He deals with man displays this compassion. For example, He is “slow to anger” and “good to all,” etc. It is important to note that compassion is not something God simply does but rather a manifestation of His character. The Bible emphasizes the importance of this truth by stating that God is “full of compassion” on five separate occasions in the book of Psalms (Psalm 78:38; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 111:4; Psalm 112:4; Psalm 145:8). God’s actions (past, present, or future) can all be traced back to His compassion. This even includes His acts of judgment. When the Bible refers to God’s longsuffering it means that He will suffer for a long time before bringing judgment against a person, nation, or the whole world.
