Someone once tried to tell me this passage wasn't meant to be taken literally. Despite the fact, it's stated so straightforwardly without a hint of metaphor or hyperbole. They couldn't really back up their stance with anything tangible other than that was what they were told. I'm sure it all came back to a feeling that certain people in their lives were clearly in the wrong and deserved to be punished for their actions. Even if they were, is that really our place to decide? Are we really qualified to judge people objectively? We see only the result of how it affects us after all, not the motives, or even the brokenness behind it.
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.-Romans 12:19-21
As I stated earlier in my state of shalom post, wholeness has a lot to do with reconciliation. No matter how wrong or evil a person's actions may be. Our ill will towards them changes nothing on their end, even if we hold onto that anger for months, years, or even decades. All those negative emotions simply overtake our lives and steal our peace of mind. Which keeps us perpetually in a broken state.
Even when we consciously know this, we have a hard time living it. We often still long for the right moment to throw something in these people’s faces. We hope to see these people get what they deserve. Then again, maybe we should be asking, are we getting what we deserve by not trusting God’s judgment.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. -Proverbs 24:17-18
From God’s point of view, it’s often just as much about our bad attitude, as it is their sinful actions. If God considers you one of his own, he will discipline you, and he may even use sinful people to do it. It is times like this that we need to drop the attitude of entitlement and respond with humility. Wholeness is a transformation process, and some things need to be demolished before they can be rebuilt. Are you willing to let go of your unforgiving attitude for the sake of wholeness?
“So much of what we misinterpret as hassles or trials or screw ups on our part are in fact God fathering us, taking us through something in order to strengthen us, or heal us, or dismantle some unholy thing in us.” -John Eldredge
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.-Romans 12:19-21
As I stated earlier in my state of shalom post, wholeness has a lot to do with reconciliation. No matter how wrong or evil a person's actions may be. Our ill will towards them changes nothing on their end, even if we hold onto that anger for months, years, or even decades. All those negative emotions simply overtake our lives and steal our peace of mind. Which keeps us perpetually in a broken state.
Even when we consciously know this, we have a hard time living it. We often still long for the right moment to throw something in these people’s faces. We hope to see these people get what they deserve. Then again, maybe we should be asking, are we getting what we deserve by not trusting God’s judgment.
Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. -Proverbs 24:17-18
From God’s point of view, it’s often just as much about our bad attitude, as it is their sinful actions. If God considers you one of his own, he will discipline you, and he may even use sinful people to do it. It is times like this that we need to drop the attitude of entitlement and respond with humility. Wholeness is a transformation process, and some things need to be demolished before they can be rebuilt. Are you willing to let go of your unforgiving attitude for the sake of wholeness?
“So much of what we misinterpret as hassles or trials or screw ups on our part are in fact God fathering us, taking us through something in order to strengthen us, or heal us, or dismantle some unholy thing in us.” -John Eldredge
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