Archives for September, 2010

Vengeance

Posted on Sep 09, 2010 under His Word | 1 Comment

Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.”
Romans 12:19

I have lived by this passage. In fact, vengeance frightens me. When I’m feeling so angry that I want to “get back” at someone, I pray. I pray that God calms me. I pray that God controls me. And in the end, I pray that God blesses the person on whom I want to seek revenge.

I know that seems crazy. I’m not even sure I can explain it. I just know that when I pray that God blesses the person who has hurt me, without any conditions attached – like “so he’ll feel bad for what he did” or “so she’ll apologize” – something miraculous happens. I don’t know exactly what it does for the other person but I know that I find peace. Crazy, huh?

Today I feel betrayed. I want to call someone or visit someone and ask why. I want to express in words the hurt I feel. And part of me, if I’m going to be very honest, wants to make my betrayer hurt the way I hurt.

Instead, I pray now that the Lord bless the person who has hurt me. I pray that the Lord bless those who were part of the betrayal. I pray that God bless those who sought revenge against me and caused this pain. No conditions. Just blessings.

And I will wait for the miracle of a peaceful heart.