Self-Made Fortress

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” –Romans 12:19 ESV

If someone treats us badly, his ignorance is not our fault! We must stop and think about it. Is there a reason for this treatment that maybe we are unaware of? People hide behind walls that they have built, and sometimes we are attempting to tear down the wall that they are not ready to have come down. First and foremost, we must forgive whoever treats us badly because God first forgave us. As stated in Matthew 6:14-15, we must forgive if we expect God to forgive us. Evangelist Beth Moore talks about how a self-made fortress not only keeps love from going out, it also keeps love from coming in. Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV) says, “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.” We must trust God in our dealings with people whom we can’t get along with, as well as those who treat us badly. The Holy Spirit is walking beside us in every situation that we encounter. He is showing us the right way to go. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13 NLT).