Thought for the Day

Verse 17 - Should hardship come to anyone who has hurt us, we must be careful to guard our hearts from entertaining any sort of smug satisfaction. To rejoice in the misfortune of others is a sin, and doubly so in God's children, because we are the light of the world. He wants us to have a heart like His, even toward those who oppose us. Unforgiveness and rejoicing in evil, do not reflect His nature. He is kind to the just and the unjust, and unwilling that anyone should perish, desiring all men to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:44-45).

It would be impossible to truly love our enemies, if God were not living in our hearts. However, if we yield to Him, His grace causes us to do what is impossible. Many wicked people have turned to Christ because those whom they hurt forgave them and demonstrated Jesus' love to them. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:19-21).

Evil things happen to people who commit evil, for they reap what they sow, but it is not God's desire for this to happen. There are spiritual laws which govern the wrath of God. Just as there are laws of physics, there are spiritual laws in operation in the universe. If I were to defy the law of gravity and step off the top of a cliff, I would suffer the consequences of a fall that might kill me. Likewise, when I defy God's spiritual laws, I activate the death principle, bringing harm to my spirit, soul, and body. The heart of God is ever wooing and drawing people away from sin, so that they may avert its consequences. He is always ready to forgive us of our sins and restore us.