Don't Let Hatred Turn to Revenge

"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).

"The spirit of hatred and revenge originated with Satan, and it led him to put to death the Son of God. Whoever cherishes malice or unkindness is cherishing the same spirit, and its fruit will be unto death. In the revengeful thought the evil deed lies enfolded, as the plant in the seed" (2MCP 524.1).

Hate is a strong word, yet some of us carry hatred toward people who have hurt or wronged us. We must learn the difference between hating evil and hating people. God calls us to hate sin and love righteousness, but He never calls us to hate people. When we are hurt, we may want revenge. We want the person to suffer as much as or even more than we did. But when hatred toward a person takes root, revenge can begin to feel justified. We start taking justice into our own hands, forgetting that vengeance belongs to God.

Jesus taught that murder begins in the heart. Hatred may begin as a thought, but if it is continually fed, it can grow into a desire to harm. We can hate what is evil without hating the person who does evil. Give your desire for revenge to God, and ask Him to uproot hatred from your heart before it produces something you cannot undo.

-Dr. Dana