How Do You Forgive The Unrepentant Offender And Still Uphold Justice?

Have you been unjustly harmed, injured, or wronged ... and the arrogant, remorseless offender seems to get away with it?

Backstabbers. Child Abusers. Thieves. Slanderers. Unfaithful Spouses. Molesters. Murderers.

In Isaiah 5:20, there are "those who call evil good." You'll witness that kind of response from a drug dealer who insists that he makes money selling drugs to help the poor, or an adulterous spouse who insists that he/she can't help it, or a rapist who was "just sharing love."

Many times, these evildoers call themselves justified. They'd even feel noble. Those who embrace this type of thinking tend also to be unrepentant and remorseless.

There is no question for those wounded by such wrongdoers more urgent to ask and more difficult to answer than this: How do you forgive the unrepentant offender and still uphold justice?

I know this sounds simplistic or easy to say. But I know of only one way - let God do the justice part, not you. Your role is to forgive. Perhaps, this is a surprising place where you have not looked before.

"Do not take revenge, my 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)

If you're struggling to forgive (the "key" to your healing) someone, the freeing capability then lies in trusting a just God to have the final word on the other person's harmful behavior.

Author Doug Schmidt beautifully puts it this way: "Your ability to forgive anyone, especially the unrepentant, is directly tied to your emotional confidence in God's willingness to accomplish justice on your behalf."

Think about it. It could be your breakthrough.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Very powerful and timely...I had gone out today to seek to divorce from my unfaithful husband...but I will wait for God's justice...

Thank you for your letters....they are very encouraging..