Letting God Handle What Hurts
Bad things happen. Bad things happen every day. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things happen to God's people. And our response is often shock, followed by sadness. When we live as followers of Christ, we are filled with the love of Christ, and his love wells up in our hearts and we ache for those who have been struck by tragedy. Some tragedy happens it seems by accident. The driver didn't intend to fall asleep at the wheel and crash into another car. Other times there is selfishness in someone's heart or, maybe worse, pride or revenge that brings about some bad or tragic outcome.
After our early response of shock and sadness, sometimes, maybe often, we want revenge. We want someone to pay for this tragedy. We well up with anger and are ready to take on a person, or even a system or political party. But Solomon offers an alternative thought.
“Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.”
Proverbs 20:22 ESV
Now wait just a second! We can't let bad people get away with... We can't just sit back and do nothing... Someone is responsible; someone has to be corrected or even punished. But the wise king is actually saying, “Wait just a second, don't jump to your impulse. Wait for the Lord.”
What happens when we wait for the Lord? First, it gives our minds and hearts time to back away from the drama of the moment and allow the Holy Spirit to bring perspective. My impulse might be to fix it, make it right, correct the injustice. But I'm pretty sure that in my anger and impulse I may not be the most likely to invoke the wisdom of God into the situation. What about you?
When we wait for the Lord instead of acting on our impulses, we allow God to begin his work of transformation in our minds and hearts.
The second thing Solomon says is, “He will deliver you.” But our default is that we can and should handle this. I need to make this right. I have been offended. Someone I love was hurt. The shift we must make is to move from me to Him. God has all the wisdom, power, and love to handle every situation, and when I pause and wait, I allow God to do His work of deliverance. I've read a story or two that suggests he is pretty good at it!
This waiting on the Lord is hard, but it pays big dividends both for you, for me, and for others.
Father, we confess that our tendency is to want to seek repayment for the wrongs against us. When someone we love is mistreated, we want revenge. Teach us to trust you to guide us. Teach us how to pray for those who wrong us. We ask that your Holy Spirit transform us so that you might truly work in us and work your good purposes in our lives today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Philippians 2:13; Proverbs 20:22 ESV
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