Forgiven ... and Forgiving (Psalms 17:13-14)

Today's scripture: Psalm 17:13-14

Yesterday, we looked at how God helps us deal with the enemy of our souls, but some of us also deal with the "wicked" here on earth. Wicked humans, I mean.

Some of us have been—or are being—abused. Some of us have been betrayed. Some of us have been on the wrong end of a business deal gone wrong.

As often happens, many of us will never see the one (or ones) who hurt us punished on earth. In fact, it seems—more often than not—that the bad guys are always winning. Otherwise, why would there be that old saying, "Nice guys finish last"? The assumption is that bad guys finish first.

It just doesn't seem fair.

So, what do we do when the bad guys win? When they finish first?

We have to give it over to God. That might be the easy part. We also have to forgive. This is not the easy part, but it's oh-so necessary.

I experienced sexual abuse at the hands of multiple perpetrators, and for a very long time, I let the hate and anger I felt toward them nearly destroy my faith. When I finally found my way back to the Lord, one thing I really struggled with was His telling me that I needed to forgive those who hurt me. To be honest, I really didn't want to. After all, they never asked for my forgiveness. They certainly didn't deserve it.

Then I was reminded of how Jesus had forgiven me when I didn't deserve it. So, with the help of the Lord, I forgave ... and it was the most freeing experience. I wasn't bogged down by hate or anger any longer.

I don't know if any of my abusers has suffered human judgment for their acts, but I do know that God "as delivered my life from the wicked." They no longer have any control at all over my life.

If you're struggling with an earthly enemy, I encourage you to give it over to God. Let Him judge. Let Him take care of the situation.

Live in the freedom of a forgiven—and forgiving—heart.

When Enemies Strike (Psalm 9:3)

Today's scripture: Psalm 9:3

We think we live in turbulent times … and we do indeed. However, if you read the Old Testament, you’ll see what turbulence times really were. David certainly knew turbulence. Constant wars. Enemies chasing him, seeking his death.

But he also knew God’s faithfulness. He knew he was God’s anointed king, and even through his sin and its consequences, David was confident in God’s ultimate protection. Time and time again, David prayed for victory over his enemies, and time and time again, God answered his prayer.

But not always. Sometimes, the enemy won.

And sometimes the enemy seems to win against us as well. How often has someone hurt you or maligned you or tried to destroy you? The enemy wins—or at least it appears so. We pray that he’ll stumble, yet he doesn’t.

At those times, the only thing we can do is exactly what David did: Cry out to God and trust He’ll protect us—whether or not our enemy stumbles or turns back.

Most importantly, we can remember God is the ultimate Victor!

When Enemies Strike (Ps. 9:3)

When my enemies turn back,
     They stumble and perish before You.
(Psalm 9:3, NASB)

We think we live in turbulent times … and we do indeed. However, if you read the Old Testament, you’ll see what turbulence times really were. David certainly knew turbulence. Constant wars. Enemies chasing him, seeking his death.

But he also knew God’s faithfulness. He knew he was God’s anointed king, and even through his sin and its consequences, David was confident in God’s ultimate protection. Time and time again, David prayed for victory over his enemies, and time and time again, God answered his prayer, like He did in today's verse. God caused David's enemies to stumble and perish.

But not always. Sometimes the enemy won.

And sometimes the enemy seems to win against us as well. How often has someone hurt you or maligned you or tried to destroy you? You pray he’ll stumble, yet he doesn’t. No. Instead, the enemy wins—or at least it appears so.

At those times, the only thing to do is exactly what David did: Cry out to God and trust He’ll protect us—whether or not our enemy stumbles or turns back.

And no matter whether our enemy does win a battle or two, we can be confident in knowing that God is the ultimate Victor!