The world has been taught to think that revenge is a normal reaction to being transgressed against. It’s in celebrities songs:
“R-E-V-E-N-G-E
My list of things to do this week
Jealousy, misery
Gon’ give you what you gave to me
Make you feel so B-A-D
Break you, make you sorry
I hope you cry, I’m getting my
R-E-V-E-N-G-E”
And:
“Oh, that I dug my key into the side
Of his pretty little souped up four-wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seats
I took a Louisville Slugger to both headlights
Slashed a hole in all four tires
Maybe next time, he’ll think before he cheats”
And I’m sure many many more. Those are just the ones I knew of before I came to Christ.
It’s mind-blowing to think that society is being trained to believe that revenge is normal and OKAY… When it’s NOT.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
So why would the world want us to think revenge is okay? Oh right, because it’s ruled by Satan. And Satan wants us to stay angry; stay bitter, and sin by seeking revenge.
I have come to realize also that the desire to revenge isn’t usually an instant thought after being transgressed against. Sometimes it takes multiple blows to finally think, “okay, you know what, it’s time for some revenge.”
But, you see, retaliation in the face of anger can make you look like a fool; feel like a fool; cause guilt and shame to rise afterwards; and still not stop you from being angry, resentful or bitter. There is no real happy ending.
On the other side, if you don’t avenge yourself, then what? You have to sit back and do nothing? Well, no. You don’t have to DO NOTHING.
- We can lay our bitterness in the hands of the Father.
- We can pray that we be forgiven for our bitterness we have harboured against our neighbours, and ask for help to forgive them and let go of the hurt.
- We can pray for the ones who’ve hurt us.
- We can offer grace, mercy, kindness and love to those who have hurt us.
For the Lord tells us: to not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good; to not bear a grudge or seek revenge among our people; to love our neighbours as ourselves; to feed our enemy if he is hungry and to give him a drink if he is thirsty.
Romans 12:21
Leviticus 19:18
Proverbs 25:21
We need to remember: revenge never helps. Hurting others does nothing to ease our pain. And if we’re seeking revenge in our pain, the only thing that will come of that is more pain — pain and sin. Pain does not cancel out pain and sin does not cancel out sin.
Don’t worry. We don’t need to seek revenge anyways, because our Heavenly Father tells us that HE WILL; He will avenge us (Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV).
God will never leave us, nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).
God will fight for us, we need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).
Knowing that God will avenge us and fight for us, should bring peace to our souls. Because we know God can do more harm than anything we could do. BUT, we also know that God can help those people to repent and be saved as well. Which is really what we should be wanting at all times. Yes, being sinned against SUCKS; more than sucks — it can be unbearable. That’s the evil of the world and it’s not okay. But neither is Hell, and we must never wish Hell on anyone. Which is why I said above we must pray for those who hurt us. For they didn’t just hurt and sin against US, but against GOD as well.
Be at peace today, knowing God’s revenge is better than anything. His judgement is righteous. And we don’t need to know what His revenge and judgement looks like, we need only to be still and trust that He fights for us.
Amen?
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