You plead for the destruction of those who send these torments against you, but consider how Christ taught His disciples in their fear. When they were tossed by the waves and saw Him walking on the sea, He did not present Himself to them at once, for it was in the fourth watch of the night that He went unto them. He was instructing them not hastily to seek for deliverance from their pressing dangers, but to bear all occurrences manfully. At the very moment they looked to be delivered, their fear was heightened still more. Do not, then, fix your eyes solely upon the destruction of those who trouble you, lest your fear grow greater while you wait for your release.
This present life is a night, and in this night the demoniac forces rage, for there sin has its power to work. But the day is at hand, and the night is far spent. Those who trouble you with these foul visitations are lost to shame, raving in a self-chosen madness, no different from demoniacs. Yet the day is calling you not to avenge yourself, but to battle-array and to the fight. Do not fear this call, for the arms you must put on are arms of Light. They will set you forth brighter than the sunbeam and place you in security. This is no heavy war but a solemn dance, for the Commander’s power is so great that the soldier is also a bridegroom going forth with joyous looks from his chamber.
You cry out that you are tormented and molested, and your soul is in a tumult like the prison-keeper who sprang in and fell down trembling, crying, “What must I do to be saved?” But see what answer comes when the earthquake shakes the prison and the bonds are loosed. Paul did not call down fire upon the keeper, but shouted with a loud voice, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.” The deliverance God sent was not for the destruction of the man who had thrown them into the inner prison, but for his salvation. The keeper was overcome with awe at the miraculous power, and it was the thing that issued in his own deliverance from the pitiable and wretched purpose of self-murder. In the same way, your own rage against those unseen enemies, your raking up the smoldering embers of wrath, is a watching worse than sleep. It is that very fury that keeps you in the darkness of the night.
Consider what a short and easy way of deliverance God has given you from this so great a burden, one free from all toil. There is no journey to be traveled, no sea to be crossed, no money to be spent. It is not a heavy task but a refreshment. For what is this way? It is to forgive. To keep up enmity is the true toil, but to be delivered from the anger within you works a great release. The tormentors may continue their assaults, but their power to hold you in bondage is broken the moment you refuse to meet their malice with your own consuming hatred. This is the deliverance from evil, that you do not become like the evil that assails you.
The Lord came for this very purpose, to preach deliverance to captives and recovery of sight to the blind. He ascended on high, leading captivity captive. Your true battle is not to see your enemies destroyed, but to lay hold of the better resurrection promised to those who bear all occurrences manfully. Some were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain this. You, too, must seize the arms of Light, walking honestly as in the day, putting away the works of darkness. Pray not for their obliteration, but that you may be clothed with the strength to say, even in the midnight of your trial, “We are all here,” unharmed in your soul, and that you may receive the Spirit of adoption, crying out from the midst of the earthquake, not for their blood, but for the light of that Day which no darkness can overcome.