What do you do when someone treats you unjustly? Do you get angry and vent your emotions? Do you get aggressive? Do you seek vengeance against the person who has wronged you?
Perhaps you’ve always believed that is the only way you can react. But the Word of God shows us that there is a better way.
Repay No One for Evil
Romans 12:17 tells us to “Repay no one evil for evil…” This teaching is contrary to what the world would have us do.
Stand up for yourself.
Fight back.
Don’t take that lying down.
These are all phrases spoken to encourage us to take vengeance into our own hands.
Yet, the way Christians fight against wrongdoing and seek vengeance should be different from the way the world does it. In truth, we are not even meant to seek vengeance.
Vengeance Belongs to the Lord
Romans 12:19 (NKJV) says:
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
When we are filled with anger over injustice, wrongdoing or ill treatment, we can think of all the ways we could act to make it right. All the while forgetting we already have someone who will work to make it right for us.
The Bible tells us clearly that it is God who will avenge us.
Vengeance belongs to Him and Him alone.
When we read this from a place of peace it can be easy to accept. But when evil has been committed against us, this truth may not be easy to believe. In fact, it may not be easy to even trust that God will make things right.
Do You Trust God’s Justice?
What often keeps us from believing that God can make wrong things right is simply a lack of trust.
We do not trust that He will make things right in the way we think is best. Nor do we trust that He will make things right in the timeframe that we want them made right.
But God is not a man that He should lie, and He will do what He says He will do. (Numbers 23:19) He will avenge us and He will arise for those who are oppressed.
However, we must come to terms with the truth that His justice and His vengeance won’t look like we want them to. But that does not mean God will not ultimately make things right.
Be Still and Wait on the Lord
Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still
Psalm 4:4 (NKJV)
As you wait for God to act on your behalf, be still. Don’t be pressured to take vengeance into your own hands. Doing that is more likely to put you in an unfavourable place for whilst we must stand against evil, we don’t need to become evil to do so.
The Word tells us that you can be angry but, your anger doesn’t have to lead to sin. You don’t have to allow your anger to force you to act out of character or be vengeful.
Instead, in your anger, trust in the Lord and trust in His justice, believing that is will bring about more righteousness than ours ever could.
