By Pastor Doug Stauffer
Few things cut as deeply as being wronged. Whether it is betrayal, false accusation or simple unfair treatment, it touches something personal—our sense of justice, our pride and our desire to be vindicated. From childhood to adulthood, the cry is the same: “That’s not fair.”
And yet, Scripture calls us to respond in a way that rises above what feels natural.
Proverbs 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth.
Even when justice seems to come to those who have wronged us, God warns against allowing satisfaction to take root in our hearts. Why? Because bitterness can quietly replace righteousness, and we begin stepping into a place that belongs to God alone. Jesus raised the standard even higher:
Matthew 5:44 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;
This is not easy—but it is Christlike. It is difficult to remain bitter toward someone for whom you are consistently praying. Prayer shifts our focus from the offense to God’s control and care and begins to soften what anger has hardened.
There are also times when doing right leads to suffering. Scripture does not ignore this reality:
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
There is a difference between suffering for wrongdoing and suffering for doing the right thing. One brings regret; the other brings reward. When we endure wrong for doing right, we have an opportunity to reflect Christ in a powerful way. Perhaps one of the most challenging truths in Scripture is found here:
1 Corinthians 6:7 …Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
In a world that insists on defending every right, God sometimes calls His people to yield—not out of weakness, but out of strength. There are moments when preserving a Christlike testimony matters more than proving a point, demanding a response marked by grace rather than insistence.
King David modeled this spirit. Though wronged repeatedly by Saul, he refused to retaliate, choosing instead to leave judgment in God’s hands. Even more profoundly, Jesus Himself—reviled, mocked, and crucified—“reviled not again,” but committed all to the Father who judges righteously.
When life presses in, what comes out of us reveals what is within us. The fruit of the Spirit—love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness—does not grow in comfort alone, but often through adversity.
So, when you are wronged, you face a choice: settle the score yourself, or trust God to do it. One leads to continued strife; the other leads to peace. In the end, we rest in this truth: God sees, God knows and God judges righteously.
