If the title caused you to stop! Please take a moment to read this. When someone hurts you or someone you love – we have a tendency to want to get revenge! I mean how could they deliberately hurt us right?
Rid yourselves of all malice. 1 Peter 2:1 – Well I’m taking up for myself! They started it! And I would never truly harm them! So I can keep going this does not apply to me, or does it?
For those of you that have been following me for a while, you know I have tendencies of perfectionism running through my body. So, when I came across this passage believing that God showed it to me with purpose, I paused and in true form – I did some research. I looked up the definition of malice, I looked up the scripture in different versions of the bible, I prayed and asked God to reveal areas in my life where it may apply.
Malice is a desire to cause harm to someone else. Well, I stopped worrying because I would never deliberately do harm to anyone. But when I looked up the verse in another translation – I stopped in my tracks.
1st Peter 2:1 ERV So then, stop doing anything to hurt others. Don’t lie anymore, stop trying to fool people. Don’t be jealous or say bad things about others.
WHOA!!! Have you ever tried to make a situation appear better than it was because you didn’t want people to think less of you? Have you ever manipulated a situation to get your way? Were you ever jealous of someone? Have someone ever did something bad to you and you spoke negatively about it? Have you ever sought revenge?
I sure have!! At some point, I have answered yes to each of those questions, especially when I feel someone has wronged me. I may not say anything to them but I will hold that pain (malice) in my heart. Remember sin is in thought and deed. It all starts in your mind.
So, your intent may not be to deliberately cause harm to someone but having a thought of revenge or even holding onto anger and jealously against them is malice. You must let it go. God will never hold you responsible for what someone does to you but He will hold your responsible for how you respond to it!
God, help me to walk according to your Word. Help me replace thoughts of anger or jealousy towards your people with love and respect. In Jesus Name
Until Next Time,
