Revenge.

Can you think of a time when you desperately wanted vengeance? When someone did you wrong and you could not stop daydreaming about ways to get even?

What does the Bible say about revenge?

When David and his men were starving and requested food from Nabal, a rich man whose flocks David’s men had protected, Nabal mocked David’s messengers and sent them away with nothing—a great insult in a culture of hospitality. So David took 400 men and set out to destroy Nabal and everything he owned. But Nabal’s wife Abigail quickly baked 200 loaves of bread, butchered five sheep, collected grapes, raisins, grain, cakes, and pressed figs, and went out to meet David. She bowed to him and convinced him to spare her household. David accepted the food and realized God had intervened. “Praise the Lord who sent you to meet me today! Your discernment is blessed and you are blessed.” So Abigail went home. The next day she told Nabal everything.

And guess how the wicked man reacted?

“Then he had a seizure and became paralyzed. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal dead.” 1 Samuel 25:37-38.

The Bible says to leave revenge to God. It is not in our job description.

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay.’” Romans 12:19.

Did God repay Nabal? Yes. Did David get “justice”? Yes. Does it always happen quickly? No! Often we will wait years. But the timing does not matter.

We must FORGIVE and move on. And we must trust God with “justice” in His time.

Pray. God, help me forgive. Give me the discernment of Abigail, to know how to make things right, and the patience of David to “leave room for the wrath of God.” I give you my desire for revenge against _________. Help me to forgive, and to trust you to handle it. Teach me how to stand up for myself when needed, but without selfishly seeking revenge.

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