Happy Sabbath, friends! This week I felt impressed by the Lord to write about the moments when we’re faced with battles – physically, emotionally, spiritually, and everything in between – and how He calls us to turn those battles over to Him. He invites us to trust Him enough to step back and let Him handle what we cannot.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

I’ve been watching The Chosen, and one scene touched me deeply. A child told Jesus that another boy had pushed him, so he pushed him back. Jesus gently told him that by retaliating, he had become the one in the wrong – because Scripture reminds us:

“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.”
Romans 12:19 (NIV)

In full honesty, one of my biggest struggles is forgiving the way God forgives. My first reaction when I’m wronged is rarely to turn the other cheek. My instinct is to defend myself, get even, or push back. And I know I’m not the only one who battles that impulse – it’s exactly why the Lord addresses it in His Word:

“Do not say, ‘I’ll do to them as they have done to me; I’ll pay them back for what they did.’”
Proverbs 24:29 (NIV)

God makes it clear that retaliation is a work of the flesh – not the Spirit. If you’re reading this and you struggle with letting God lead in moments of conflict or hurt, please know you’re not alone. The beautiful truth is that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us despite our human nature. All He asks is that we surrender our hearts to Him.

“My son, give Me your heart and let your eyes delight in My ways.”
Proverbs 23:26 (NIV)

“Then He said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it.’”
Luke 9:23–24 (NIV)

A story that always comes to mind with this topic is the life of David. King Saul spent years trying to kill him. I’m sure it hurt David deeply to know Saul was so hateful and jealous. And yet, even with multiple opportunities to take Saul’s life and end the suffering, David refused. He chose to trust God’s timing instead of satisfying his own desire for justice.

“He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him…’”
1 Samuel 24:6 (NIV)

When we are faced with battles of any kind – or moments when retaliation feels justified – we can rest in the truth that God will bring justice in His perfect timing when we place the fight back into His hands.

“It is Mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip…”
Deuteronomy 32:35 (NIV)

So I challenge myself, and anyone reading this, that the next time someone hurts you physically, emotionally, or spiritually, choose surrender instead of retaliation. Your hurt is valid – God never tells you to ignore your pain. But He does tell you to release the burden of justice into His hands. He sees everything. He knows everything. And He promises to act righteously.

God never asks you to silence your hurt – He asks you to surrender it. He acknowledges the pain while guiding you toward peace.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

May God be with you all and bless you with His peace in whatever season you’re facing.

Amen.