There are three levels to dealing with people who bring an offense:
1) You respond out of the flesh seeking to harm the individual. There is no forgiveness.
2) You go the LORD and say, “God that person wronged me. Take care of it.” Now, this one is hard because it requires some level of forgiveness and trust and waiting on the LORD. “Vengeance is mine, saith the LORD.” Would be a good proverb to land on. Vindication comes from the LORD, and the posture of your heart is towards seeing justice being served and not being the executor of justice. Your judgment is true, which then means that when you go to God, satan has legal right to move about that person’s life because the wages of sin is death. Sin separates man and God. When God draws back in an area because a person claims to be king in that area, satan’s opportunistic attack can show up.
3) Then there is mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. And, this requires forgiveness from the heart. You no longer wish that judgment would be laid on the person. You wish for the person to be healed so that that action would not start in the first place. You see the spiritual war going on in their lives. You see the stronghold that brings about ungodly behavior. You see the transgression and overlook it because that’s what wisdom does.
You go before God and say, “LORD, this person has wronged me, and it hurt me. Please take away my pain. But, God forgive them and look beyond their sin. Credit nothing to them, LORD. Bless them, and heal them. Have mercy on them, LORD. Do not bring judgment before them and let no harm be done to them.” This is love and intercession and what Jesus does for all of us all of the time. He is our 24/7 intercessor. And, we need it.
What does mercy look like in your life right now? Who needs love and where can God triumph in someone’s life?
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
This is love.