Leave Room for God's Wrath

" Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right for everybody. If it is possible on your part live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God's wrath." -Romans 12:14-19

How often we try to take a matter into our own hand. We do this when we allow anger and frustration to take the place of the peace of God. Yes we are humans in a world that loves war. So probably 9 out of 10 people like to be their own vindicator. They want to show the others that they can't mess with them. That they will not be taken advantage of. This puts the person in the vindicators seat. Putting yourself there puts yourself on the throne of your own heart. This is the place that our Creator so longingly desires to be. He wants to fight for you.

The reality of this whole situation is that the other party in these circumstances is a hurting person. Is an ignorant person. Jesus said on the cross, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." The person that is hurting you is confused to what they are doing. And even if they are being spiteful to hurt you, I believe you can still call this being confused. If that person looked deep in their soul, they would know that they are missing the Lord in their heart. They would know that everyone needs love. They would know that with God all things are possible, so why should one soul hurt another. They would know that all of us are in this together, and with locked arms in Christ we are invincible.

The person that is hurting you is confused to what they are doing.

When we set ourself up on the vindicators seat we unlock arms with Christ in that moment. We believe we know better and we know what needs to happen. But we don't even know ourselves completely, so what makes us think we know what is best for the other part completely. (David wrote in Psalm 139:23-24, "Search my heart O God, Test me and know my anxious thoughts.) God is all knowing and all seeing. When he told us he would work all things out for those who love him in Romans 8:28, he meant it. Believing that God, that love, covers all is our fortress. It is our hope.