Silas
Beloved of All
I hear how heavy and painful this season at work has been for you, and how much dread and stress you have been carrying into that place each day. Wanting a hostile environment to change and wanting wrongs to be addressed is understandable, and it is good that you are bringing this burden to the Lord and asking for His help.
Scripture helps us with the right way to think about what we are asking for. Justice is receiving what we deserve, mercy is not receiving what we deserve. When David prayed, Have mercy upon me, O God, he was throwing himself on the mercy of God and asking God to blot out his wrongs according to His abundant mercy and tender kindness. The Bible declares that God is merciful and will abundantly pardon, that He is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and truth, and that His mercy endures forever. Because of that mercy we can have peace with God and be made righteous before Him, for mercy and truth met together in Jesus Christ.
The same Bible also teaches that vengeance belongs to the Lord. It says, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. It is hard to remember that when we have been treated badly, because our hearts naturally want to get even and to see those who hurt us punished as we think they should be. The psalms do cry out for God to arise as the Judge of the earth and to deal with evil, but they leave that work to Him. Where we have to be very careful is in wanting to take vengeance into our own hands or asking God to act as the instrument of our own anger. We need to pray instead, Lord, keep my heart from devising vengeance, and keep me from wanting to take it.
God does see what is done, and He does regard it. He is not blind to unkindness or injustice. He is also the One who delights in mercy and is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. He is sovereign in showing mercy, and He is our defense and refuge in the day of trouble. We can sing of His power and of His mercy because He is our strength and the God of our mercy.
So I want to pray with you in a way that leaves both justice and mercy in God's hands and asks Him to do what is right. I will not ask God to fire specific people or to make them unable to work again, because that would be asking Him to carry out our vengeance. Instead I will pray that God will give you wisdom and grace as you speak, that He will guard your mouth and your mind and your spirit so you speak truth clearly and calmly, that those listening will hear truthfully and act with wisdom and fairness, that God will be your defense and bring change that makes the workplace more healthy and just, and that He will work in every heart involved, including your own, to bring conviction where it is needed and mercy where it is needed.
Let us pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus we come to You and ask for Your mercy. You know the hurt and the stress that has been carried, and You see all that has happened in this workplace. We ask that You would be a defense and refuge in this time of trouble and give strength to Your servant. Give wisdom and clarity in this meeting ahead, guide every word and keep back any word that should not be spoken, and let truth be spoken with grace. Move upon those who have responsibility to listen and to decide, that they would act justly and with discernment. We leave vengeance to You, for it belongs to You, and we ask You to do what is right and good. Work in every heart to bring repentance, healing and change, and let Your mercy and truth be known. We thank You that Your mercy endures forever and that You abundantly pardon those who call upon You through Jesus Christ. Bring peace, protection and a better way forward, and help to trust You as our strength. Amen.
If that hostile and broken atmosphere continues, please also seek wise and godly counsel close to you, and follow the proper and lawful steps your workplace provides for reporting and protection, while you continue to entrust yourself to God who judges righteously and who delights to show mercy.
Scripture helps us with the right way to think about what we are asking for. Justice is receiving what we deserve, mercy is not receiving what we deserve. When David prayed, Have mercy upon me, O God, he was throwing himself on the mercy of God and asking God to blot out his wrongs according to His abundant mercy and tender kindness. The Bible declares that God is merciful and will abundantly pardon, that He is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and truth, and that His mercy endures forever. Because of that mercy we can have peace with God and be made righteous before Him, for mercy and truth met together in Jesus Christ.
The same Bible also teaches that vengeance belongs to the Lord. It says, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. It is hard to remember that when we have been treated badly, because our hearts naturally want to get even and to see those who hurt us punished as we think they should be. The psalms do cry out for God to arise as the Judge of the earth and to deal with evil, but they leave that work to Him. Where we have to be very careful is in wanting to take vengeance into our own hands or asking God to act as the instrument of our own anger. We need to pray instead, Lord, keep my heart from devising vengeance, and keep me from wanting to take it.
God does see what is done, and He does regard it. He is not blind to unkindness or injustice. He is also the One who delights in mercy and is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. He is sovereign in showing mercy, and He is our defense and refuge in the day of trouble. We can sing of His power and of His mercy because He is our strength and the God of our mercy.
So I want to pray with you in a way that leaves both justice and mercy in God's hands and asks Him to do what is right. I will not ask God to fire specific people or to make them unable to work again, because that would be asking Him to carry out our vengeance. Instead I will pray that God will give you wisdom and grace as you speak, that He will guard your mouth and your mind and your spirit so you speak truth clearly and calmly, that those listening will hear truthfully and act with wisdom and fairness, that God will be your defense and bring change that makes the workplace more healthy and just, and that He will work in every heart involved, including your own, to bring conviction where it is needed and mercy where it is needed.
Let us pray together. Father, in the name of Jesus we come to You and ask for Your mercy. You know the hurt and the stress that has been carried, and You see all that has happened in this workplace. We ask that You would be a defense and refuge in this time of trouble and give strength to Your servant. Give wisdom and clarity in this meeting ahead, guide every word and keep back any word that should not be spoken, and let truth be spoken with grace. Move upon those who have responsibility to listen and to decide, that they would act justly and with discernment. We leave vengeance to You, for it belongs to You, and we ask You to do what is right and good. Work in every heart to bring repentance, healing and change, and let Your mercy and truth be known. We thank You that Your mercy endures forever and that You abundantly pardon those who call upon You through Jesus Christ. Bring peace, protection and a better way forward, and help to trust You as our strength. Amen.
If that hostile and broken atmosphere continues, please also seek wise and godly counsel close to you, and follow the proper and lawful steps your workplace provides for reporting and protection, while you continue to entrust yourself to God who judges righteously and who delights to show mercy.
