Today's Verse: Proverbs 20:22

Tuesday, July 16, 1957

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
— Proverbs 20:22
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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Vengeance is an awful and painful way to respond to those we feel have wronged us. The Lord is our assurance of genuine justice, so let's leave our being wronged to God. Let him bring justice. As the apostle Paul taught:
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. ... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19-21)
Escalating vengeance and trying to make things "come out even" only leads to broken people and broken lives. Worse yet, it leads to broken character in us!

My Prayer...

Through your Spirit, Abba Father, please empower me to be patient as you right the wrongs and injustices committed against me and the wrongs done to me. I need the Spirit's power to overcome my desire for revenge against those who have wronged me and to have patience while waiting for you to make things right. Please help me to be more concerned about the salvation of those who may have wronged me than I am about getting even with them. Please give me more of a heart like your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

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3 Related Resources by Heartlight

Proverbs 20:22
Devo: Daily Wisdom
"Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you."
Proverbs 20:22
Devo: Today's Verse
"Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you. "
Wait for the Lord
Illustration of Proverbs 20:22
Inspirational illustration of Proverbs 20:22 -- Do not say, 'I'll pay you back for this wrong!' Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Illustration

Illustration of Proverbs 20:22 — Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, July 16, 1957

Daily Wisdom
A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
Proverbs 22:9
"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'The Highest Heavens' (Ps. 71:19)
"Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God?"
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Our Path to Greatness' (Jn. 3:30)
"[About Jesus, John the Baptizer said,] "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.""
God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'Litmus Test' (1 Co. 12:2-3)
"Remember how you were when you didn't know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did....."

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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