David was no stranger to betrayal. Saul, the king he served with loyalty and distinction, hunted David for years—seeking to kill him! Later in life, David’s own son tried to steal his throne.
If anyone ever had grounds to seek payback, it was David. But he knew that vengeance belongs to God. He trusted that God is “the God who avenges me.”
When we feel the pain of mistreatment, it is natural to fume and rant and lick our wounds. We demand explanations, apologies, and restitution. We psychoanalyze and ascribe motives: Maybe this was all a big misunderstanding?
Maybe she hurt me because she is hurting? Nah! She was just being malicious! Before long we are obsessed with the one(s) who hurt us, and we long for them to feel a similar (or preferably a worse) pain.
Only God can see people’s hearts, and He sees them objectively. Furthermore, He has promised to reward each person accordingly. Nothing is hidden from God, and we can put our trust in this truth.
No one is ever going to “get away with” anything, especially with hurting God’s children.
When we seek to exact our own revenge, we are basically saying that we can do it better than God. But of course, we can’t. We’re not perfectly wise, utterly just, and totally pure.
Any type of revenge we might come up with might feel good momentarily, but it won’t be good eternally.
In a fallen world, people are unfair. Some bosses are jerks. Friends, family members, and even fellow believers fail us. Until Jesus’ kingdom comes in full, there will be friction and discord.
Yet we can trust that our holy, sovereign God is LORD over us and our adversaries. He will right every wrong and ensure that His glory is revealed at all times.
It isn’t our job to take revenge. In your life, let God be who He is: the God who avenges me. Instead of focusing on getting even, focus on forgiving the way that God, in Christ, has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).
Why do we so often want to be in charge of exacting our own revenge?
