In Romans 12, Paul emphasizes the fact that God has been overwhelmingly merciful to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Because of Jesus, we are justified by faith in Him. Just as we receive mercies from God, we are to pour out mercy to others - not in our own strength, but in the strength that comes through our daily worship to the Lord. As we worship Him in our daily lives, He renews our mind and gives us strength to continue pursuing Him, heart and soul. We need to be reading the Word, spending time in prayer, and thanking and praising the Lord every single day. As the Holy Spirit works within us, He transforms us and gives us the strength to show the Lord's mercy to others. Our lives are to be a daily living sacrifice. Jesus didn't just come to victoriously conquer sin and death, He came to serve us through His body - His sacrifice on the cross. He came to save us from that sin and death. As we learn more about the Word of God, it needs to translate to living the Word of God, otherwise it will become nothing but puffed up knowledge. We need to serve the Lord through our lives for an audience of One - our Lord and Savior - not for the applause of others.