July 3
Let God
Handle Justice
“Don’t say, ‘I’ll get even with you!’ Wait for the Lord. He will take care of you.”
Proverbs 20:22 (NIrV)
Brett scrolled through his phone, his jaw clenched. His breakup with Lila had been messy—more painful than he wanted to admit. She had moved on quickly, laughing in photos with her new boyfriend, while he sat alone, still stinging from the rejection. It wasn’t fair.
Then he stumbled upon an old folder buried in his phone. Pictures from their time together—some innocent, some… not. They should have been for his eyes only. His pulse quickened. An idea crept into his mind, dark and tempting. He could upload them. Just to a small site, one of those sketchy ones where people wouldn’t even know it was him. She would never find out.
The thought brought a twisted sense of satisfaction. She had hurt him, humiliated him. Maybe this was justice.
His fingers hovered over the screen. One tap. That’s all it would take.
But then, an unsettling feeling gripped his chest. He tried to shake it off, but something about this didn’t sit right. Brett wasn’t a saint, but this—this was different. This wasn’t just getting even. This was something worse.
He put his phone down and rubbed his face. His mind flashed to his mom, who had always told him, "Revenge never makes you feel better. It just makes you into someone you don’t want to be." He had rolled his eyes every time, but now, sitting in the dim glow of his screen, he felt the weight of her words.
Then, out of nowhere, a verse popped into his mind. Maybe from a sermon he half-listened to once:
“Don’t say, ‘I’ll get even with you!’ Wait for the Lord. He will take care of you.”
Brett exhaled sharply. Could he trust God with this? Could he really let go of his anger and believe that justice—if it was needed—wasn’t his to carry out?
His fingers trembled as he deleted the folder. Every last picture. Gone.
He didn’t feel victorious. If anything, his heart still ached, and his pride still smarted. But there was also relief—like he had just stepped back from the edge of a cliff.
Later that night, he whispered a quiet prayer. It wasn’t poetic, but it was honest.
"God, I’m still mad. I still hurt. But I don’t want to be this person. Help me let go. Help me trust You with this."
And for the first time in weeks, he slept without bitterness gnawing at him.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
It’s so hard to let go when we feel hurt, betrayed, or disrespected.
Our hearts cry out for justice, but revenge only darkens our souls. Help us to trust You with the things that feel unfair.
Give us the strength to release anger and walk in forgiveness, even when it’s difficult.
Thank You for reminding us that You see everything, and You are the one who brings justice in Your perfect time.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
