“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15 ESV
It can be so easy to want to treat people how they treat you. This can show up in major or minor ways. Perhaps someone flips you the bird while driving. Then all of a sudden, your little digit starts to extend. Or maybe there’s a disagreement and someone raises their tone, so defensively your tone follows suit. Then, there’s the passive aggressive actions. You know when someone said they’d do something for you, but they never do, so when it’s your turn to act for them and honor your word, you either blatantly don’t or intentionally delay as a repercussion.
The scenarios are endless for when we let our emotions dictate our behavior and operate in a tit-for-tat manner. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians that we are not to pay people back for the wrong that they do to us. In fact, his words encourage us to do good to everyone always. Yikes! I have surely fallen short there.
Forgiveness is not easy and there’s no easy cure. Here are a few tips to get you started on how to pay forgiveness forward by not repaying evil with evil:
Pray about the situation. Some wounds cut really deep, and it may take forgiving the person several times over. When the situation comes to mind instead of rehashing the hurt, bring it to God in prayer. (1 Peter 5:7)
Acknowledge God’s forgiveness of you. The Bible makes it clear that we are supposed to forgive others in the same way that He has forgiven us. God’s love is an excellent model on how we should show love to others. His word says that He forgets our sins and “remembers them no more.” Similarly, we too should extend the same grace to others who cause us harm. (Heb 8:12, Col 3:13)
Pray for your offender. It has been said that “hurt[ing] people, hurt people.” While this is no excuse for what the person may have done to you, there’s no better problem solver than the Lord. Lifting your offender up in prayer leaves room for God to work in the person (and in you!), while removing the self-imposed burden of holding your offender accountable for their actions. (Luke 6:28)
Reflection
Who do I need to forgive in my life? What is holding me back? Which of the strategies above can I use in order to forgive the way God forgives me?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for loving me enough to forgive me every time. Forgive me for not letting go of the offenses that others have committed against me? Help me to release the pain of my offenders and do good to everyone. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Want to learn more about forgiveness and applying it to your everyday life? Register for our virtual class on Forgiveness: Breaking The Power of the Past here. We’ll fellowship with one another and explore Kay Arthur’s and David & BJ Lawson’s text Tuesdays 7:30-8:30pm ET beginning June 4, 2019.
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash
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