Viral

We live in a culture that glorifies “story times” and putting others on public blast for the wrong they have done. I am by no means above this. There are countless times where I crave being able to announce to the whole world what someone has done or said to me. It looks so appealing - the praise and validation that it teases to offer. You will not find peace when you are pursuing the next high that is offered by exploiting someone else’s depravity.

My personal beliefs on forgiveness and justice can be found in many of my previous blogs. I have wrestled through these questions, and, personally, I do not believe that biblical forgiveness is viable without repentance.

You will not find healing, however, when you are pursuing revenge.

Announcing to the world how someone else has harmed you will not bring peace. Sure, it will offer a sense of euphoria that revenge brings, but that will be a temporary hit that only demands more.

Others validation of how you have been wronged will only lead to a desire for more.

There is a reason that we are called to bring it to the person who has wronged us first, not to bring others with us initially.

Someone who is unreceptive to feedback and who is unwilling to own and apologize for their sin will not change just because “the world” agrees with you. What you are craving - the justice for how you were wronged - cannot be found on social media. It cannot be found in turning the world against them.

Revenge teases, peace heals.

Letting go does not dismiss the wrong done, it hands it over to the one who holds justice in His hands. Peace is found in relinquishing control to the one who actually has it.

One day we will all be held accountable for our actions. What they have done to you will not go unanswered for. You don’t have to prove your case to the world, the one who needs to already knows.