I had an experience where someone repeatedly treated me in an unpleasant way on a job. One day she needed me to do a work that was urgent and very sensitive. Then I heard a voice saying now is the time to pay her back. If I tell you I didn’t think about listening to that voice I lie. In fact I laughed and said brilliant!!!. I told her I will look into it before Monday. She said oh it has to be now, I responded unfortunately I am busy but I will do it as soon as I am free. As soon as I dropped the phone, another voice said seriously, you are going to go low and become her? I look at my to do list for the day and realized most of them can wait, so I did her work and sent it to her.

It was so interesting that the same week, at the Church Sunday School, the Children and I looked into the story of David and Saul in the Bible. Saul became jealous of David after God used David to kill Goliath, because the children of Israel transferred the love they have for Saul to David and  Saul knew that as long as David lived, Jonathan his son would not become King of Israel. Saul was bent on not only destroying David but wanted to kill him. David had at least two opportunities to Kill Saul, yet David refused to kill Saul.

Apart from the fact that David refused to kill Saul because Saul was an anointed man of God and his own country man, David also had the understanding that vengeance is not his but the Lord. He knew that if he killed Saul, he has fought for himself, so he left the fight for God to continue to fight it on His behalf as God had always done for him (David).

I encourage you to be a David and leave your battles for God. He will fight for you and you will hold your peace, for He shall contend with those who contend with you, but only if you allow Him. It is easy to want to retaliate like I wanted to do but it would not add value to you. There is no such thing as a righteous anger, instead allow God to replace your weakness for His strength. When people offends you greatly, let it teach you something about yourself and God.

Do you know that those who hurt us sometimes do not know what they are doing? They do not have the knowledge you have. They cannot process their thoughts the way you would process yours. And what they do not have, they cannot give. So, excuse them.

Recently, I have made it a prayer point to be more patient and I realized the more I pray asking for patience, the more I encounter people who test me. The truth is they do not know what I have been praying for but God knows, so He is teaching me.

I came across a quote and it goes thus: He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself.

Be smart and let your focus be on the things that matter.

From me, nothing but love.

Hannah.