Vengeance

Leviticus 19:18 (KJV) Says "Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord."  I Thessalonians 5:15 (KJV) Says "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men."  Proverbs 20:22 (KJV) Says "Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee." Romans 12:19 (KJV) Says "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will Repay, saith the Lord."

In the above scripture it is made clear that vengeance belongs to God, and is not ours to render. Being of the flesh, however, when our feelings are hurt by someone, or we are wronged in some way the urge to lash out and seek vengeance is automatic. We must learn to resist that urge, and leave the situation up to God. Don't sit around for hours and hours each day planning and plotting the method of vengeance you are going to take in order to get someone back for what they've done to you. Instead focus on forgiving the person who offended you, and move on with your life. This may take some time, but it is necessary to forgive in order to heal.

When we fail to forgive someone who has hurt or offended us, we are no longer able to walk in love due to the bitterness, anger, and resentment we are carrying around in our hearts. First and foremost this is not how God desires or instructs us to react.  In fact, we are instructed in God's Word to forgive others or God will not forgive us. Secondly, it is not healthy mentally, or physically for us to carry all of these negative emotions around with us as we wait on our chance to get the person back who caused our pain. Thirdly, the person who offended us has more than likely moved on with their life, and they're not even thinking about us or the pain they have caused. Lastly, the person our bitterness, and resentment is aimed at has already offended us and hurt us once, when we continue in the negative feelings we developed from their words or actions toward us, we are allowing them to destroy even more of our lives, and to cause us further pain. Don't let someone who mistreated you in the past  steal your future happiness.

Anytime someone hurts, offends, or wrongs one of God's children he notices. He is all knowing. We need only to do our part by forgiving the person, and moving on with our lives, God will handle the rest. We are to pray for those who hurt or offend us, and leave any consequences, or punishment due them up to our Heavenly Father. If we do hear of them coming up against some sort of trouble or facing some issue in their life after mistreating us, we don't need to be of the opinion that they got what they deserved, and we are not to celebrate or wish ill will upon them. Provebs 24:17-18 (KJV) Says "Rejoice not when thy enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth; Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him."

If you have been hurt, mistreated, or wronged in some way by another, I would like to encourage you to go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you work through your pain, and forgive the person as soon as possible. Do it because God instructs us to, and do it because it is the best thing for you. Leave any vengeance to God, and move on with your life. Resist harboring any bitterness, ill will, or resentment in your heart, and don't lose the peace and contentment that God blessed you with. Continue to walk in love, and leave the things that are God's to handle in his hands. Choose to be happy, and remember vengeance is the Lord's.

If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.