Forbearance in the face of injustice

Have you ever experienced an injustice, an occasion where someone hurt you, caused you offense directly or perhaps to someone close to you?

An incredibly frustrating situation whereby you just wanted to do something to make things right immediately. Circumstances that cause you to say, this is just so unfair! Why is this happening?

Sadly, these situations happen all around us every day. In homes, in families, work places... The force of darkness exist to frustrate even what should be simple ways of life. Daily trust is broken, friends part ways, relationships are dented, careless words break bonds, those in charge of the weak abuse that power, others manipulate the weak to their own advantage and so much more. If one were to focus on all the injustice that goes on around the world, it would appear that we are in a hopeless state of evil having the advantage over us.

I came by one such situation recently, a painful reality in which I witnessed a people group experience what I can only describe as dark ugly injustice.

People left in destitute circumstances, abandoned, without help. Cheated of life’s basic freedoms, going through unnecessary pain.

That night I went to bed with my head spinning. Ideas and thoughts of all the ways that I could help the situation run through my mind. People I could call to make sure this oppressed group got to their solution because like most injustices their problem was humanly created and therefore the solution was natural and obtainable - if only those in power over them acted right.

The many possible paths to their freedom I pondered all seemed plausible to me.

I woke up the next morning in all readiness, prepared to go ahead with my mission of liberating these poor souls. Just as I was about to set off on my self-appointed mission, I heard the all-familiar voice of wisdom whisper in the depths of my spirit – forbearance.

What is forbearance?

I understood this to mean patience, but it means so much more.

It also means long suffering, self-control, restraint, tolerance, leniency, mercy, what’s more – it means, indulgence towards those who injure us, delay of resentment or punishment.

What did this mean for my present circumstances?

The bottom line is, it meant putting the sword down.

Letting go of my ambitious zeal to obtain justice by all means necessary and entrusting it all to – God.

That same guiding voice of God’s Spirit reminded me firstly of those who pursued a similar path of obtaining quick justice on behalf of the oppressed and how it had made a negative impact on their lives. How in fact they did not succeed in that path.

The first of them is Moses.

He sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and out of concern for his people, he decides to take matters into his own hands and ends up murdering the Egyptian. The result of wanting to pursue justice on his own terms leads him to fleeing from his royal status in Egypt and into the wildernesses of Midian. It would be a long time before he is able to course correct into the leadership position that God had called him into.

Another example is Peter, Jesus’ disciple.

On the night of Jesus’ arrest, Peter full of hot pursuit for quick justice to defend Jesus, pulls out his sword and cuts off a man’s ear. Jesus intervenes and resolves Peter’s error, by healing the man’s ear

What does this mean for us?

There is a place for justice, but it has to be done God’s way.

God is not blind to the injustice that is in the world. In Isaiah 61:8 he says, “For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing.” He reminds us in Psalms 94:9 that He who fashioned the eye sees, he who fashioned the ear hears all.

There is not a single thing that happens in and around us or to us that God does not see. I have observed that God has the ability to liberate his people using ways that are contrary to our human ways. His ways are ways of peace, love and harmony.

As I allowed this wisdom to reshape my thoughts, my mind was opened to the realization of the many other simpler, prudent and subtle ways that the situation could be resolved to arrive at the same result – if not better.

In times of injustice, if we are careful to seek out and obey God’s wisdom, we will find that light so easily displays darkness. Good so easily displaces evil. Darkness itself is unaware it has been replaced by light until the victory is won. This has been God’s way from the beginning to the cross.

When we love the unlovable, forgive the unforgiveable, repay good for evil, it may seem like the oppressor has walked away free of penalty but scripture says different, this is leaving room for God’s wrath. He is both the avenger and the restorer.

When something is going wrong around us or hurting us and those we love, the quickest thought is to act in defense of ourselves. Should I just let people walk all over me and hurt me? We might ask.

Wisdom says, evil cannot overcome evil. This is indeed tested truth, at least in my case, that only good can overcome evil. Love is more powerful than being right. Being right satisfies the ego whilst love brings rewards. There is something about looking at the oppressor straight in their face and saying to them, “I forgive you; God loves you.” that disarms them of all power.

Later on, God says to Moses, “The cry of the Israelites has reached me and I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them”

If you have faced an injustice in recent times be encouraged that God sees you. He is able to look into hearts and see more than we ever can. Entrust the matter to him, follow his way, give him an opportunity to work on your behalf – I have never seen him fail.

He is forbearing with us, we can be forbearing toward others. Put the sword away!

Blessings.

Arvin