This is the the third of seven devotions
with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:5
Love Does Not Insist On It's Own Rights
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF HATE
by
Kent Clifford Cooley
(Adapted from Romans 12:19; 1 Corinthians 13:5)
We hear it on the news. We read it in the paper every day. Someone has been violated. The victim then gets a gun and kills the one
who has violated them, taking the law into their own hands. Now, not only has the victim been violated,
but the victim has become a violator.
The above is a worst case scenario. Someone loses his life because of resentment
and retaliation, actually getting even with their advisory. Getting even is actually a form of insisting
on your rights. There is a cycle of
hatred that can take hold in a person’s life if he will not give up his rights
and allow God to be his avenger. This
cycle of hatred starts small in little resentments and violations. When the cycle of hate is left to turn over
and over in a person’s life, destruction always occurs.
The Book of Romans gives clear, precise instruction
concerning vengeance.
“Never
avenge yourselves,
but leave the way open for God’s wrath:
for it is written, vengeance is Mine,
I will
repay, says the Lord.”
There will be times in our lives when we are violated. If we attempt to take revenge, we too, become a violator. When
we take the seat of accuser, judge and executioner, we close the door for God
to deal with the one who has harmed us.
And more important, we lose the grace to forgive.
Father, I commit my way to love today. I break the cycle of hate that has tried to
develop in my life by insisting on my own rights. I relinquish my own rights and roll all of my
care over on you. I will not seek
revenge when someone wrongs me. I will
forgive and I will walk in love with grace from my Savior. Thank you Father, as I take this stand, you
will remove wrong thinking in my heart and flood me with grace and power to
forgive.
© LoveWalkPublishing
Devotion Authored by KentCliffordCooley
(Adapted from Romans 12:19; 1 Corinthians 13:5)
Verse
We hear it on the news;
We read it in the paper every day
Someone done somebody wrong
So they went and got their gun
And started shootin’
Chorus
Beloved never avenge yourselves,
Don’t get back, don’t get
even,
Don’t retaliate
(repeat)
Leave the way open for God’s wrath,
He chastises those who
are His,
He chastises those who He loves
Leave the way open,
Leave the way open for God’s wrath,
Leave the way open for God’s love.
© LoveWalkMusic
WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley
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