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DAY 4: Pause, Pray, Ponder
When desire for revenge feels especially pressing, here are some practical things to do. I call them the Three Ps before payback: pause, pray, and ponder.
1. Pause: Quick reactions get us into trouble. Pausing distances us from the intensity of a situation and can help clarify how we should respond.
2. Pray: The greatest help we ever get is from God. He knows the ins and outs of our situation. Praying about our pain is the key to getting results in your life.
3. Ponder: Think through your next steps. Write them down. When you consider your movements and intentions, you will be much more purposeful. A plan can often save you from regret from a hasty payback.
As you ponder, here are a few truths for you to keep in mind:
First, temporary payback isn’t the same as true benefit. Lashing out is a short-term fix that will fail to heal or satisfy. It reminds me of those Saturday-morning cartoons with the coyote manically setting traps to take down the roadrunner. Without fail, the traps would always backfire on the coyote and hurt him instead. God never intended for us to do His job.
Second, quick revenge robs us of correct perspective and delays our ability to deal rightly with injustice. When we seek out human forms of justice, we are in a posture of defense—we are trying to right wrongs. Defensiveness cannot drive a wise process, because every decision will be made from resentment. Most of all, defensiveness denies that God knows about the wrong we long to make right and, in that knowledge, is actively working in and through it.
Finally, we will never do as thorough a job as God. We may want it done quicker, or in our way, but if we want it done best, we will let Him handle it. Paying people back doesn’t bring peace of mind.
Had I taken my own advice and done these things before I confronted the person starting rumors about my father, I would have done things differently. I would have seen there was no urgency for me to take matters into my own hands.
Respond
What wisdom do you need in order to right a wrong in your life? Ask God to give you this wisdom, then wait patiently for Him to reveal it.
About this Plan
Injustice may be the single most important reason we need to believe God’s omniscience, says Bible teacher Lisa Whittle. When we know that God knows even more than we do about the wrongs done to us, we can be confident He will make everything right in His perfect time. In this five-day study drawn from her book God Knows, Pastor Lisa helps us find constructive ways to seek biblical justice rather than vengeance.
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