Learning To Not Retaliate

In summary of Romans 12:17-19 it says, "Never pay back evil with more evil.  Do things in a way that everyone sees you as honorable.  Do what every you can to live in peace with everyone.  So, don’t insist on getting even or take revenge into your own hands; that’s not for you to do.  Leave that to God, for scripture tells us that God will take revenge and pay them back."

Bottom Line:
Never pay back evil done to you will more evil.  Instead do things in a way that keeps you living at peace with everyone.  Don’t insist on getting even or taking revenge on someone; it’s not our role, we are to leave it to God.  God has told us that he will be the one to take revenge or inflict payback, but we must realize that God will do this in his own timing and not likely ours.

What this means to me:
God does not want me to take matters of revenge or payback for offenses done to me into my own hands.  Instead he asks that I live in peace and harmony with others.  I’m to leave the wrath, revenge and payback to Him.  But it’s important for me to realize that He will handle it in his own timing and not in mine. This is a very difficult thing to do without God help.  My natural tendency is to retaliate when I’m attacked or hurt.  This means that I must learn that I can’t please everybody (even God doesn’t please everyone.)  I need to say no to unrealistic expectations and instead seek to speak the truth in love to them or even to myself.  God makes it pretty clear that I should never retaliate.  What I can do is pray for them.   When I do this it will help adjust my thoughts and perhaps be an influence to them in their lives.