As a believer in Christ one of the most hurtful
experiences you can have is when you are misjudged, slandered, falsely accused,
or rejected. The pain of these experiences is deeper if they happen with a
loved one. When you take a stand for truth or start living for God instead of
pleasing man, don’t be surprised who attacks you. Your flesh may want to
vindicate itself, and prove that you are wrongly being misinterpreted.
Jesus did say to, “Turn the other cheek and forgive
70x7,” but what about when you keep getting mistreated by the same person?
Stepping aside and allowing God to vindicate you would be your best outcome for
this situation. Jesus in no way wants you continually wounded, inflicted by
another’s wrath, manipulated, controlled or abused (verbal or physical).
Reflect
and ponder: You could be at a crossroads in your
life-you have tried to build bridges of reconciliation and offer open and
honest communication with others who have mistreated you, but the person or
people who you are dealing with are still behaving spiteful, cruel, malicious,
manipulative, or offensive in some way. Should you continue to reach out hoping
the next time they will not do something damaging to you? Releasing the people
who have injured you and allowing God to vindicate you would be a better choice
than continuing in a relationship.
When you are waiting for God to vindicate
you:
1. Ask
God to cleanse you and forgive you of your part (if there is one). Repent of
any wrong doing that you are aware of.
2. Forgive
your offender. Your heart will need to be cleansed of any bitterness, unforgiveness,
and offense before you can proceed to forgiving someone who has repeatedly
wounded your heart or who has not offered forgiveness. Talk to the Lord or a
trusted, Godly person about your struggles with the individual or group that
has inflicted pain to you, not as a way to gossip or to pass judgment but to cleanse
what is in your heart. Make sure to pray after releasing your experiences. Bringing
what is hidden in the dark into the light brings healing, but it is important
that you don’t keep rehashing what happened again and again.
3. Do
not retaliate in anyway against your offenders or take revenge upon them.
Turning the other cheek does not mean keep standing there and allowing someone
to hurt you, it means walk away.
4. Begin
to pray and speak blessings over the ones who have used you, misjudged you,
rejected you, and falsely accused you. This is an example of “doing good to
your enemies.”
5. Let
go and release the people that have hurt you into God’s hands. Stop focusing on
what happened and move on.
6. God
makes all things right in His time. Wait patiently for God to vindicate you.
Wait humbly. Wait meekly. Persist in prayer that God will clear your name.
MEDIATE
ON THESE SCPITURES:
All
those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall
be as nothing and those who strive against you shall perish. You shall seek
them-those who contend with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing,
as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
saying, “Fear not, I will help you.”
Isaiah
41:9-13
Blessed
are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me.
Matthew
5:11
Vindicate
me, O Lord, For I have walked in integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I
shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart.
Psalm
26:1-2
Vindicate
me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; and deliver me from
the deceitful and unjust man!
Psalm
43:1
Vindicate
me, O Lord, according to your righteousness; and let not them rejoice over me.
Psalm
35:24
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