It's a natural human reaction which we must resist as best we can.
When the urge is there to retaliate for the treatment we have received we need to stop and ask how would Jesus view our behaviour.
Sometimes our anger may be because someone we love and care for has been hurt by whoever has wronged us. Or our sense of injustice is more painful because those who have wronged us profess to be Christians. How could they? They pretend to be Christians and they behave like that!
In such circumstances we should consider how and why the disagreement or wrongdoing started.
Could we possibly have provoked the attack by something we did or said? Unwittingly perhaps. Is the other person carrying a heavy Cross in their own life and something has triggered the attack on us?
One possible solution is to lift up the situation, and the people involved, to Christ. Pray for those who hurt us. We cannot possibly hate someone we pray for.
Somehow, by lifting the situation up to God in prayer we open a channel for Him to bring healing in us as well as in them.
Now I'll admit it is not easy to turn immediately to prayer the moment someone has wronged us. But then ... if it was easy, and if we all did it, then we would have peace in the world.
So wise.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandi.
DeleteGod bless.
Never a truer word spoken, or written
ReplyDeletein fact..
But! I must confess..nothing to do with
being a Sicilian..and all that vendetta
business..
All my life if someone has wrong me, my
family or even my friends, the wrong must
be righted..All my life from the day l
was born, until now 70+ l have never
ever struck a person, or a person has never
struck me..basically l've never been in a
fight..HeHe! After that statement l usually
say..jokingly of course..l pick the phone
up, and get someone to do it for me..! :).
At the begging of the Godfather film..which
celebrates 50yrs this month, and on his
daughters wedding, he receives people who want
favours, if and when possible, he will arrange
that favour..in return that person has to return
the favour, maybe sometime in the future..!
So..over the last 60yrs l also have received
on a Sunday afternoon, many friends, family etc..
With either family or business problems..all
above board and perfectly legal..l have gained
a lot of respect in this town of mine..if you have
a problem..go see Willie..!
So..if someone has wrong us..he/she must be brought
to task..show them the error of their ways..if they
apologise..say sorry! Then were half way there...!
Because l consider an apology a prayer to God also..
That person should then feel content and happy with
their selves..! Amen!
❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 ❤️
it de
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.
DeleteGod bless, Willie.
...I believe that it depends on who wronged you!
ReplyDeleteI understand, Tom. We should also hold them up in prayer.
DeleteGod bless.
At present I am having a tough time BUT you practically quoted my dad then you said:
ReplyDeleteWe cannot possibly hate someone we pray for......
True words but humanly tough...
Love from over here with THANKS.
Sherry & jack
I am so sorry to hear you are having a difficult time, Jack. I am praying for you right now.
DeleteGod bless you and Sherry.
True, but it isn't easy to lift up the situation. Actually, Jesus threw the money-changers out of the temple ... this means it sometimes is not easy.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of this sunny Sunday :-)
I agree, it is not easy to accept evil and harm done to us. Sometimes we have to stand against evil; as Jesus did in the example you give. With prayers, God will show us the way and what to do.
DeleteBest wishes. God bless, Giorgio.
It's hard to do but we should at least try.
ReplyDeleteAmen Bill.
DeleteGod bless.
Not always easy but is the right thing to do. We are after all only human and need God to help us to the right thing.
ReplyDeleteYes, through prayers God will help us and show the way.
DeleteGod bless, Happyone.
Good one, Victor. Still, I believe God knows when my prayers are not sincere. Therefore, before I lift up someone who's hurt me, I should pray for an empathetic spirit.
ReplyDeleteI know from experience that sometimes it is very difficult to forgive especially when the pain still hurts. So yes, we need to pray with empathy and compassion as sincerely as we can.
DeleteFor example: "God, you know what that person has done to me. As much as I possibly can, I forgive them even though I despise what has been done to me. Please forgive them where I cannot because I have reached my human limits of forgiveness."
We cannot possibly forgive like Jesus because we are not God, as He was and is. So we forgive as much as we humanly can, even when the hurt lingers on as a permanent reminder.
God bless, Mevely.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteIt certainly depends for what wrongdoing.
Mark 9:42 also mentions the millstones being hung around ones neck as one of Jesus' statements.
Hugs,
Mariette
I understand what you say, Mariette. But it is up to God, not us, to judge and where necessary to deal with the wrongdoing.
DeleteGod bless.
AMEN!
DeleteThis is why Jesus said to pray for our enemies. Anything He tells us to do, He will give us the strength to do it, even if it's hard.
ReplyDeleteAmen. Yes you are right, Mimi. God will give us strength and the ability to forgive.
DeleteGod bless.
I'm not the retaliating sort, I don't hit back, I don't scream insults at people. I have been known to call the police when necessary though. When tenants or visitors in the flats here are drunk or out of control on drugs, if they are abusing other quiet tenants, I call the police and the offender gets taken away, hopefully to get the help they need. I also called the police the morning after my husband was drunk and beat me up. I didn't retaliate at the time, no sense in hitting back, but I had him jailed and moved out while he was gone. This is the same man who finally gave up drinking about six years ago and has recently found God again. I didn't hate him then and I don't hate him now.
ReplyDeleteThank you River for sharing your story here with us. At the time of your suffering, you may not have known it or recognised it then, but God was by your side. He knew about your suffering and was at hand to help you. You did then what you had to do for your protection and that of others. Meanwhile, God was also working in your husband's life too.
DeleteI am praying for you and your husband and your family.
God bless.
We are divorced now but still friends.
DeleteDoes God still do any smiting these days? There's this fellow in Russia who could do with a good smiting.
ReplyDeleteGod is in control of every situation in life. Having given us free will to act as we want He will not interfere with our actions, even when we do wrong. He allows it to happen. However, in His time and in His way He will and does respond to prayers.
DeleteThe story you shared about your husband is such an example.
We cannot possibly understand God and His motivation; and neither should we try to. We should trust Him as best we can and continue to pray.
God bless, River.