¹⁹ Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, (Romans 12:19a CSB)

Have you ever been consumed with anger or frustration toward another? Just so completely wrapped up in your need for retribution that there seems room for nothing more than this overpowering need for what you regard is justice?

We have probably all experienced some version of this to a greater or lesser degree. More than anything, what you are fixated upon permeates your thoughts. There seems room for little else. This is where we sin and fall short of God’s expectation.

First off, thinking back to one of these times, how much good did it really do you? It may have consumed your thoughts for a time or it may still haunt you to some extent. So in doing so you compounded the feeling and gave it power over you. Here lies the greatest lesson. When we leave no room for God, we give power of these feelings and these people over us. We are really just compounding the injustice we feel.

My dad always used to say, “Kill ‘em with kindness.” While the first sentiment may not be the best the second was. People know when they are being offensive or hurtful. When we repay this with kindness we “leave room” for God to work in their lives. No, it is not easy, but it is right.

When we leave room for God there is a work done in our lives as it is in others.