When Someone Hurts You, This Is What God Does | Smith W… — Transcript

[music] Note. My friends, God sees everything. There is nothing hidden from His sight. No secret, no lie, no betrayal escapes His attention. He's the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who watches over the earth with perfect knowledge. Note. When you have been hurt, when you have been betrayed, when someone has wronged you in ways that feel unbearable, you may wonder if God even notices. You may cry out in frustration, asking why He allowed it, why He remained silent, why He didn't step in the moment the pain was inflicted. But let me assure you, not a single tear has fallen from your eyes without Him seeing it. Not a single injustice has gone unnoticed. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 15: Note. 3, that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. That means there is no deception, no cruelty, no sin that goes unseen by the Creator of heaven and earth. Note. The wicked may believe they have escaped judgment, that their actions are hidden, that they have gotten away with what they have done. But God knows. He sees the heart of every man and woman. He discerns the motives behind every action. Note. He is never deceived by appearances, never fooled by words, never caught off guard by the schemes of the wicked. Think about Hagar, the servant of Sarah in the book of Genesis. She was mistreated, cast out, wandering in the wilderness, note. Feeling abandoned and alone. But it was there in her place of suffering that the Lord appeared to her. And she called Him El Roi, which means the God who sees me. She wasn't forgotten. She wasn't invisible. Note. God had been watching over her the whole time, and He provided for her even in her distress. The same is true for you. When someone betrays you, when you are mistreated, when people whisper lies behind your back, note. When someone tries to destroy what God is doing in your life, you can be sure that the Lord sees it all. He's not a distant observer. He's not indifferent. He is watching and He will act in His perfect time. Consider the story of Joseph. His own brothers sold him into slavery. They despised him, plotted against him, and believed they had removed him from their lives forever. But God saw when Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison, abandoned in a dark cell for a crime he didn't commit. God saw when it seemed as if the wicked had triumphed. God was still in control. He was orchestrating every event, positioning Joseph for something greater, working behind the scenes in ways no one could see. In the end, justice came. Joseph was not only lifted out of prison, but elevated to a place of honor, and the very people who had tried to destroy him were brought to their knees before him. God's justice may not come in the way we expect or in the timing we desire, but it always comes. No one can escape His judgment. No one can outmaneuver His wisdom. The proud will be humbled. The wicked will face the consequences of their actions. The innocent will be vindicated. It may not happen immediately. It may not happen in the way you envision, but God is faithful and He will deal with every act of evil according to His perfect righteousness. When you are hurting, when you feel forgotten, when you wonder if justice will ever come, remember that God is watching. He has not turned His face away. He has not ignored your suffering. He has not missed a single detail. The hands that formed the universe, that set the stars in place, that control the rise and fall of nations, are the same hands that hold your life. The one who spoke the world into existence is the same one who watches over you. Vengeance belongs to the Lord. This is a truth that runs throughout Scripture. A divine principle that reveals both the justice and mercy of God. When we are wronged, when someone hurts us, betrays us, or seeks to destroy what God is doing in our lives, the natural reaction is to strike back, to seek justice on our own terms. Our human nature cries out for retribution. We want to make them feel the pain they inflicted on us. We want to see them suffer as we have suffered. But God's word tells us something different. Romans 12:19 declares, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, 'Vengeance is mine. I will repay,' says the Lord." There is a reason why vengeance belongs to God and not to us. Human justice is flawed. Our emotions cloud our judgment. We see only a fraction of the picture. Our anger, our pain, and our sense of injustice can drive us to act in ways that are not aligned with God's will. But God sees everything. He knows every detail, every hidden motive, every secret that has not yet come to light. He judges with perfect righteousness, without bias, without error. His justice is not driven by emotion, but by absolute truth. Look at the story of David and Saul. Saul was a king consumed by jealousy, a man who relentlessly pursued David, seeking to kill him without cause. David had multiple opportunities to take matters into his own hands. He could have killed Saul in the cave when Saul was vulnerable. His men even encouraged him to do it, telling him that this was his moment of justice. But David refused. He would not take vengeance into his own hands. He understood that Saul was still God's anointed, and it was not his place to execute judgment. Instead, he trusted God to deal with Saul in His own time, and God did. Saul's life ended in disgrace, and David was elevated to the throne not by his own hand, but by God's divine plan. Vengeance is dangerous when placed in human hands. It corrupts the heart, poisons the soul, and leads to a cycle of destruction. When we take revenge, we are not just fighting against our enemies. We are fighting against God's authority. We are telling Him that we do not trust His justice, that we must take matters into our own hands because we fear He will not act. But God's justice is never late. It is never weak. It is never uncertain. He knows exactly how and when to deal with those who have wronged His children. Think of Joseph's brothers. They sold him into slavery, an act of cruelty driven by jealousy. They believed they had rid themselves of him, that he was gone forever. But God was watching. He did not allow Joseph's suffering to be wasted. He did not allow the injustice to go unanswered. Years later, those same brothers stood before Joseph, trembling as the tables had completely turned. But Joseph did not take revenge. He did not strike them down or make them suffer as they had made him suffer. Instead, he understood that God had been working all along, even through the betrayal. Justice had been served, but it was God's justice, not man's. When we hold on to vengeance, we hold on to chains. Bitterness, anger, and hatred become our prison. We think that by seeking revenge, we will find peace. But the opposite is true. The more we chase after vengeance, the more we are consumed by it. But when we release it to God, when we place justice in His hands, we are freed from that burden. We can [clears throat] move forward in faith, knowing that He will deal with every wrong in His perfect time. The wicked do not escape God's judgment. They may believe they have succeeded, that they have outmaneuvered justice, that their actions will remain hidden forever. But God is not mocked. He has declared that vengeance belongs to Him, and He does not break His word. No one outruns the justice of God. The proud will be humbled. The oppressor will face their reckoning. The liars, the betrayers, the wicked, they will all stand before Him. No crime, no deception, no act of cruelty goes unseen by the Almighty. He will repay. He will judge, and His judgment will be perfect. God calls you to forgive. It is not a suggestion, not an option to consider when you feel like it. It is a command. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father w

perfect knowledge. Note. When you have been hurt, when you have been betrayed, when someone has wronged you in ways that feel unbearable, you may wonder if God even notices. You may cry out in frustration, asking why he allowed it,

why he remained silent, why he didn't step in the moment the pain was inflicted. But let me assure you, not a single tear has fallen from your eyes without him seeing it. Not a single injustice has gone unnoticed. The Bible

tells us in Proverbs 15: Note. o 3, that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

That means there is no deception, no cruelty, no sin that goes unseen by the creator of heaven and earth. Note. The wicked may believe they have escaped judgment, that their actions are hidden, that they have gotten away with what

they have done. But God knows. He sees the heart of every man and woman. He discerns the motives behind every action. Note. He is never deceived by appearances, never fooled by words, never caught off guard by the schemes of

the wicked. Think about Hagar, the servant of Sarah in the book of Genesis. She was mistreated, cast out, wandering in the wilderness, note. Feeling abandoned and alone. But it was there in her place of suffering that the Lord

appeared to her. And she called him El Roi, which means the God who sees me. She wasn't forgotten. She wasn't invisible. Note.

God had been watching over her the whole time, and he provided for her even in her distress. The same is true for you.

When someone betrays you, when you are mistreated, when people whisper lies behind your back, note. when someone tries to destroy what God is doing in your life, you can be sure that the Lord sees it all. He's not a distant

observer. He's not indifferent. He is watching and he will act in his perfect time.

Consider the story of Joseph. His own brothers sold him into slavery. They despised him, plotted against him, and believed they had removed him from their lives forever. But God saw when Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison,

abandoned in a dark cell for a crime he didn't commit. God saw when it seemed as if the wicked had triumphed. God was still in control. He was orchestrating every event, positioning Joseph for something greater, working behind the scenes in ways no one

could see. In the end, justice came. Joseph was not only lifted out of prison, but elevated to a place of honor, and the very people who had tried to destroy him were brought to their knees before him.

God's justice may not come in the way we expect or in the timing we desire, but it always comes. No one can escape his judgment. No one can outmaneuver his wisdom. The proud will be humbled.

The wicked will face the consequences of their actions. The innocent will be vindicated. It may not happen immediately. It may not happen in the way you envision, but God is faithful and he will deal with every act of evil according to his

perfect righteousness. When you are hurting, when you feel forgotten, when you wonder if justice will ever come, remember that God is watching.

He has not turned his face away. He has not ignored your suffering. He has not missed a single detail. The hands that formed the universe, that set the stars in place, that control the rise and fall of nations,

are the same hands that hold your life. The one who spoke the world into existence is the same one who watches over you. Vengeance belongs to the Lord.

This is a truth that runs throughout scripture. A divine principle that reveals both the justice and mercy of God. When we are wronged, when someone hurts us, betrays us, or seeks to destroy what God is doing in our lives, the natural reaction

is to strike back, to seek justice on our own terms. Our human nature cries out for retribution.

We want to make them feel the pain they inflicted on us. We want to see them suffer as we have suffered. But God's word tells us something different.

Romans 12:19 declares, "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath.

For it is written, 'Vengeance is mine. I will repay,' says the Lord." There is a reason why vengeance belongs to God and not to us. Human justice is flawed.

Our emotions cloud our judgment. We see only a fraction of the picture. Our anger, our pain, and our sense of injustice can drive us to act in ways that are not aligned with God's will.

But God sees everything. He knows every detail, every hidden motive, every secret that has not yet come to light. He judges with perfect righteousness, without bias, without error. His justice is not driven by emotion, but by absolute truth. Look at the story of David and

Saul. Saul was a king consumed by jealousy, a man who relentlessly pursued David, seeking to kill him without cause. David had multiple opportunities to take matters into his own hands.

He could have killed Saul in the cave when Saul was vulnerable. His men even encouraged him to do it, telling him that this was his moment of justice.

But David refused. He would not take vengeance into his own hands. He understood that Saul was still God's anointed, and it was not his place to execute judgment. Instead, he trusted God to deal with Saul in his own time,

and God did. Saul's life ended in disgrace, and David was elevated to the throne not by his own hand, but by God's divine plan. Vengeance is dangerous when placed in human hands. It corrupts the heart, poisons the soul, and leads to a cycle

of destruction. When we take revenge, we are not just fighting against our enemies. We are fighting against God's authority. We are telling him that we do not trust his justice, that we must take matters into our own hands because we

fear he will not act. But God's justice is never late. It is never weak. It is never uncertain. He knows exactly how and when to deal with those who have wronged his children. Think of Joseph's brothers. They sold him into slavery,

an act of cruelty driven by jealousy. They believed they had rid themselves of him, that he was gone forever. But God was watching. He did not allow Joseph's suffering to be wasted. He did not allow the injustice to go unanswered.

Years later, those same brothers stood before Joseph, trembling as the tables had completely turned. But Joseph did not take revenge. He did not strike them down or make them suffer as they had made him suffer. Instead, he understood

that God had been working all along, even through the betrayal. Justice had been served, but it was God's justice, not man's. When we hold on to vengeance, we hold on to chains. Bitterness, anger, and hatred become our prison.

We think that by seeking revenge, we will find peace. But the opposite is true. The more we chase after vengeance, the more we are consumed by it. But when we release it to God, when we place justice in his hands,

we are freed from that burden. We can [clears throat] move forward in faith, knowing that he will deal with every wrong in his perfect time. The wicked do not escape God's judgment. They may believe they have succeeded, that they

have outmaneuvered justice, that their actions will remain hidden forever. But God is not mocked. He has declared that vengeance belongs to him, and he does not break his word. No one outruns the justice of God. The proud will be humbled.

The oppressor will face their reckoning. The liars, the betrayers, the wicked, they will all stand before him. No crime, no deception, no act of cruelty goes unseen by the almighty. He will repay.

He will judge and his judgment will be perfect. God calls you to forgive. It is not a suggestion, not an option to consider when you feel like it. It is a command.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." These words are not spoken lightly.

They reveal a powerful truth. Forgiveness is not just about the person who hurt you. It is about your own soul.

It is about your relationship with God. Holding on to unforgiveness is like carrying a heavy chain around your heart.

A burden that only weighs you down while the other person moves on unaffected. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things God asks of us because it goes against our human nature.

When someone hurts us, our natural instinct is to hold on to that pain, to build walls of protection, to make sure they never get the chance to do it again. We want them to feel what we felt. We want justice and often

we want revenge. But God calls us to something greater. He calls us to release the anger, the bitterness, and the resentment and to place everything in his hands. Jesus himself showed us what forgiveness looks like as he hung on the cross, beaten,

humiliated, and nailed to the wood by the very people he came to save. He could have called down legions of angels to destroy them. He could have demanded immediate justice. Instead, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father,

forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34. That kind of forgiveness is beyond human strength. It is divine. And yet, that is the very forgiveness we are called to extend to others. out Many people

believe that forgiving someone means excusing what they did, letting them off the hook, or pretending that the pain never happened. But, that is not what forgiveness is. Forgiveness does not mean that what they did was right. out It does not mean you have to trust them

again. It does not mean you have to allow them back into your life. Forgiveness is not about them. It is about you and God. It is about refusing to let the enemy keep you in bondage.

out The enemy wants you to hold on to unforgiveness because he knows what it does to your heart. Unforgiveness turns into bitterness, and bitterness poisons your soul. It hardens you, blinds you, out keeps you from receiving the peace

that God wants to give you. It creates distance between you and God because he has already told you that if you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven.

The enemy wants you trapped in that cycle. out Reliving the pain over and over again, keeping your wounds open, never allowing you to heal. But, God has called you to something greater. He has called you to freedom. Look at Joseph.

His brothers betrayed him, sold him into slavery, out and left him for dead. He had every reason to hate them, every reason to seek revenge when he was finally in a position of power. But, what did he do? He forgave them. He

chose to see the hand of God in his suffering. out He told them in Genesis 50:20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." That is the perspective of someone who has given their pain to God. Someone who refuses

to let bitterness take root. out Someone who understands that forgiveness is not weakness, it is strength. Forgiving does not mean forgetting. It does not mean acting as if nothing happened, but it does mean surrendering your right to take justice into your own hands.

It means trusting that God sees what was done to you, and he will deal with it in his perfect way. Forgiveness is an act of faith. It is believing that God is your defender, that he will heal your

heart, that he will handle the situation far better than you ever could. Some wounds are deep. Some betrayals feel impossible to forgive, but forgiveness is not something you do by your own strength. It is something God enables you to do.

When you surrender to him, when you make the decision to forgive, even before your emotions catch up, God steps in. He gives you grace. He gives you the healing. He begins to release the burden you have been carrying for so long.

There are people who live their whole lives trapped in bitterness, never experiencing the fullness of what God has for them because they refuse to forgive.

But that is not what God wants for you. He wants you to walk in freedom.

He wants you to release the burden. He wants [clears throat] you to trust him with justice, with healing, with restoration, and that begins with forgiveness. God uses pain for your growth. This is a truth that is often difficult to accept, especially in the

midst of suffering. Pain is something we instinctively avoid, something we pray to be delivered from, something that feels unfair when it enters our lives.

But God never allows pain without a purpose. Every tear, every hardship, every trial is shaping you into the person he has called you to be. Nothing is wasted in his hands. What the enemy intends for harm, God can

transform into something that strengthens your faith, deepens your character, and draws you closer to him. The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who endured pain and suffering, not because God had abandoned them, but because he was preparing them for

something greater. Look at Job. He was a man who was blameless before God, a man of integrity. Yet, he lost everything. His family, his wealth, his health. His suffering was so great that even his closest friends questioned if

he had done something wrong. But, God had not forsaken him. Job's pain was not meaningless. It was a test of faith, a refining fire that revealed his trust in God. And in the end, God restored everything he had lost and more. Joseph

was betrayed by his own brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned. Every step of his journey seemed to be another layer of suffering, another blow to his dreams.

But, God was not punishing him. He was [clears throat] preparing him. Had Joseph never been betrayed, he would have never ended up in Egypt. Had he never been falsely accused, he would have never been placed in prison, where

he met the cupbearer who would later introduce him to Pharaoh. And had he never been forgotten in that prison, he would have never been elevated to a position of power at just the right time to save his family from

famine. Joseph's pain was not wasted. It was a part of God's divine plan to position him exactly where he needed to be. Pain strips away our illusions of control. It humbles us and forces us to recognize our need for God. When life is

easy, when everything is going according to our plans, it is easy to rely on ourselves. But, suffering brings us to our knees. It reminds us that we are not in control, that we cannot fix everything, that we desperately need the presence

and power of God. And in that place of surrender, something incredible happens. Our faith deepens. We begin to trust God in ways we never have before. We learn to lean on him, to depend on his strength rather than

our own. Paul understood this when he wrote in Corinthians 12:9, "But, he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power

may rest on me." Paul had a thorn in the flesh, something that caused him deep pain, something he pleaded with God to take away. But, God did not remove it.

Instead, he used it to show Paul that his grace was enough. Sometimes, the pain we want God to take away is the very thing he is using to display his power in our lives. Suffering refines us like gold in the fire. It burns away the

impurities, the pride, the self-sufficiency, and leaves behind a faith that is pure, a character that is strong, a heart that is fully surrendered to God. It is in the furnace of affliction that we become who he has called us to be.

There are things we learn in pain that we would never learn in comfort. There is a depth of relationship with God that can only be found in the valley. In the moments when we have nothing left but him. Pain also teaches us compassion.

When we have suffered, we are able to understand the suffering of others. We are able to comfort them, to encourage them, to walk alongside them with the same grace that God extended to us.

Our wounds become our testimony. The very things the enemy meant to destroy us become the very things that equip us to help others. God never wastes pain.

What feels like breaking is often the process of remaking. What feels like the end is often the beginning of something greater. What seems like a season of suffering is often a season of preparation. He is shaping you, molding you, strengthening

you. And when you come through the fire, you will not be the same. You will be stronger, you will be wiser, you will be more like Christ. God's justice is perfect. In a world filled with corruption, dishonesty, and unfairness,

it is easy to wonder if true justice will ever be served. People deceive, the wicked prosper, the innocent suffer, and it often seems as if those who do evil escape without consequence. But God sees it all, and he is not indifferent out.

His justice is not flawed like human justice. His judgment is never late, never biased, never mistaken. It is perfect, and it will come at the right time in the right way. The Bible declares in Deuteronomy 32:4, "He is the

rock out. His works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." Unlike human judges who can be swayed by money, power, or influence, God is incorruptible. He does not turn a blind

eye to evil out. He does not overlook wrongdoing. He does not let the guilty go unpunished. He is the ultimate judge, and his verdict is final. Many times in life we feel the weight of injustice pressing upon us. We see people who have

lied, cheated out, and harmed others continue to thrive while those who have remained faithful struggle. It is in these moments that doubt creeps in, and we begin to ask, "Where is God? Why does he allow this to happen?" But the Bible

reminds us in Psalm 37:7, "out Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." Just because justice has not come yet does not mean it will

not come. God's timing is not ours out. His patience is not a sign weakness, but of his desire for people to turn from their wicked ways before judgment falls.

Look at Pharaoh in the book of Exodus. He oppressed God's people, enslaved them out, and refused to let them go despite numerous warnings. For a time it seemed as if he would continue ruling with an iron fist, unchallenged and undefeated.

But God had already determined the outcome out. The plagues that struck Egypt were not random. They were the unfolding of divine justice. Pharaoh's pride led to his downfall, and in the end he drowned in the Red Sea while the

very people he had oppressed walked free. Justice came in God's perfect way and at God's perfect time. The story of Haman in the book of Esther is another example of how God's justice operates. Haman, a powerful official, plotted against the Jewish people and

planned to have Mordecai executed. He built gallows fully confident that his scheme would succeed, but in a stunning reversal, the very trap he set for Mordecai became his own downfall.

He was hanged on the same gallows he had prepared for another. This is how God works. The wicked may plot, they may scheme, they may seem invincible, but in the end they will fall by their own devices.

God's justice is not only about punishing the wicked. It is also about vindicating the righteous. When Joseph was thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit, it appeared as though in justice had won, but God had a greater

plan. He raised Joseph up, placed him in a position of power, and allowed him to stand as a living testimony that no injustice can override God's purpose.

What man meant for evil, God turned for good. One of the greatest examples of God's justice is the cross of Jesus Christ. Humanity was guilty of sin, deserving of judgment, and unable to save itself. Justice demanded a price,

but mercy made a way. On the cross, justice and mercy met perfectly. Jesus took upon himself the punishment we deserved so that we could be justified before God. No sin was overlooked. No wrongdoing was excused. Every sin was

paid for either on the cross or in eternal judgment. This is the perfect justice of God.

God's justice may not always be immediate, but it is always certain. The wicked may believe they have escaped, that they have outmaneuvered consequences, that their actions will remain hidden forever. But, nothing is hidden from God. He sees every act of

oppression, every dishonest gain, every betrayal, every injustice, and he will bring judgment in his time. The proud will be humbled, the oppressor will fall, the liar will be exposed.

No one outruns the justice of God. For those who have suffered injustice, there is comfort in knowing that God has not forgotten. He has recorded every wrong.

He has seen every tear and He will make all things right. There will be a day when every injustice will be accounted for, when every evil act will be answered, and when the righteous will be vindicated. His justice is not partial. His justice is

not flawed. His justice is perfect. God will restore what was lost. Loss is something that every person will experience at some point in life. It comes in many forms, the loss of relationships opportunities health time, or even hope.

There are moments when life feels shattered beyond repair, when what was taken seems so great that restoration appears impossible. But, with God, nothing is ever truly lost. He is a God of restoration, a God who takes what has been broken and

makes it whole again, a God who turns mourning into joy and ashes into beauty.

The Bible is filled with stories of restoration, showing us that loss is never the end of the story when God is involved.

In the book of Job, we see a man who lost everything, his wealth, his health, and even his children. His suffering was so great that he sat in ashes, scraping his sores, abandoned by friends, and tormented by sorrow.

It seemed as if everything he had worked for, everything he loved, had been taken away. But, Job remained faithful. He did not understand why he was suffering, but he continued to trust in God. And in the end, God restored him. Job 42:10 says,

"After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. God did not just give back what was lost. He gave back even more. This is the nature

of divine restoration. It is never just about returning what was taken. It is about making things better than they were before. God's restoration is not always immediate and it does not always come in the way we expect. Sometimes we pray for a

situation to be restored exactly as it was. But God has something greater in mind. Joseph lost years of his life when his brothers betrayed him, throwing him into a pit and selling him into slavery.

He lost his home, his freedom, and his sense of security. He was falsely accused and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. But God was not finished. What seemed like wasted years were actually years of preparation. God elevated Joseph to a

position of power, restoring him in such a way that he was able to save an entire nation from famine. Genesis 50:20 records Joseph's words to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to

accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." The pain, the betrayal, the years of suffering, they were not wasted.

God was using them to position Joseph for something far greater than he could have imagined. Restoration does not always mean that God gives back exactly what was lost.

Sometimes he gives back something different, something greater. Naomi in the book of Ruth lost her husband and both of her sons. She returned to Bethlehem in deep sorrow, believing that her life was over, but God had a plan.

Through Ruth, her daughter-in-law, Naomi's life was restored in a way she never expected. Ruth married Boaz and their child became a source of joy and redemption for Naomi. What she thought was permanent loss was actually the pathway to a a blessing. Note, God's

restoration is not limited to material things. He restores broken hearts, shattered faith, and lost hope. There are people who have lost their passion, who have lost their sense of purpose, who feel as if life has taken too much

from them, but God is still in the business of restoration. Joel 2:25 says, "I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten." God does not just restore things, he restores time.

He can redeem the years that seemed wasted, the opportunities that seemed gone, the dreams that seemed dead. He can bring back joy where there was sorrow, peace where there was turmoil, and hope where there was despair.

No loss is too great for God to restore. What the enemy has stolen, God can return. What was broken, God can heal.

What was destroyed, God can rebuild. His restoration is not just about giving back, it is about making things whole again, about showing his power and faithfulness in ways that are beyond human understanding. When God restores, it is always greater than what was lost,

always more than what was expected, always a testimony of his unfailing love and grace.

Your enemies are in God's hands. There is no betrayal, no attack, no injustice that goes unseen by the Lord. When people rise up against you, when they scheme and plot, when they try to bring harm to your life,

it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, to feel as though you must fight back in your own strength. But the truth is, you do not have to carry that burden. God is your defender. He sees every word spoken

against you, every plan formed in secret, every attempt to harm you, and he will deal with it in his perfect way. The Bible makes it clear that God takes the matter of enemies seriously. Romans 12:19 says, "Do not take revenge, my

dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge. I will repay,' says the Lord.

There is no need to seek vengeance, no need to fight battles that belong to God. The same God who parted the Red Sea, who shut the mouths of lions, out who brought down entire armies for his people, is the same God who fights for

you today. Look at the story of David. He was anointed to be king, chosen by God. Yet, he spent years being pursued by Saul, out who was consumed with jealousy and rage. Saul tried to kill him, hunted him down, and saw him as an

enemy. David had opportunities to strike back, to take matters into his own hands, but he refused. He knew that God was in control. Out He knew that his enemy was in God's hands, and in the end it was not David who had to remove Saul.

God took care of it. God's justice is perfect, and his timing is always right.

Sometimes it seems as though the wicked prosper, out as though those who do wrong continue unchecked, but nothing escapes the sight of God. Psalm 37:1 says, "We do not fret because of those who are evil, or be envious of those who

do wrong. For like the grass, they will soon wither, out like green plants, they will soon die away. No enemy can stand against the justice of God. No oppressor will go unpunished. No one who rises against a child of God will ultimately

succeed." Joseph was betrayed by his own brothers. Out They threw him into a pit, sold him into slavery, and left him for dead. He could have spent his life filled with anger, seeking revenge, but he trusted God. Years later, when he

stood before those same brothers, out [snorts] he did not take justice into his own hands. Instead, he said in Genesis 50:20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the

saving of many lives." God turned the betrayal into a blessing. Out The very thing that was meant to destroy him was the thing that positioned him for his destiny. Your enemies do not have the final say over your life. The people who

try to tear you down, who speak against you, who plot your downfall, they are not in control. God is. And when you put your trust in him, when you choose to leave your enemies in his hands, you free yourself from the weight

of bitterness, from the burden of revenge, from the exhaustion of trying to fight battles that were never yours to fight.

Jesus himself showed us what it means to leave our enemies in God's hands. As he hung on the cross, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, and crucified by the very people he came to save, he did not curse them. He did not call down fire

from heaven. Instead, he said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34.

That is the power of trust. That is the power of knowing that God sees, that God knows, that God will handle everything in his perfect way.

God's way of dealing with your enemies is greater than anything you could imagine. He can humble the proud, silence the wicked, expose the deceitful, and bring justice in ways that are beyond human understanding. Sometimes he removes the enemy. Sometimes he changes the enemy's

heart. Sometimes he uses the enemy to push you into your destiny. However, he chooses to act, one thing is certain, your enemies are in his hands and he will not fail to deal with them in his perfect way. Through every trial, every

betrayal, every moment of suffering, God remains sovereign. He sees the injustice. He knows the pain and he is never absent from your struggle. The enemies that rise against you, the losses that seem unbearable, the pain that feels unending, none of it

is beyond his control. He is your defender, your healer, your restorer. His justice is perfect. His timing is precise and his plans cannot be stopped.

No wound is too deep for him to heal. No wrong is too great for him to make right. What was meant to harm you, he can turn for good. What was stolen, out, he can restore. What was broken, he can

redeem. The battles you face are not yours to fight alone. He fights for you.

The weight of vengeance, of bitterness, of anger is not yours to carry. He will deal with your enemies, out. The seasons of pain and loss are not without purpose. He is shaping you, strengthening you, and leading you towards something greater. Trust in his

justice. Trust in his restoration. Trust in his power to use every hardship for your growth, out. Even when you cannot see it, even when the pain seems unbearable, even when the wait feels too long, God is at work. His hands are

never idle. His justice is never delayed. His love is never failing. And in the end, out, he will make all things right. Heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts, grateful for your unwavering presence and divine justice in our lives, out. Thank you for

reminding us that nothing escapes your sight, and that you are always aware of our pain, our struggles, and our every tear. We acknowledge that you are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, out. And we trust in your

perfect timing and wisdom. Lord, in those moments when we feel wronged and betrayed, help us to remember that vengeance belongs to you, out. Teach us to release our anger and desire for retaliation, and instead fill us with forgiveness. Help us to echo the words

of Jesus, extending grace to those who have hurt us just as you have hurt us.

Remind us that our suffering has purpose, out. May we find strength in our weakness, knowing that your power is made perfect in our struggles. Help us to trust in your divine plan, even when we cannot see the way forward. Lord, we

pray for healing for those who have been wounded, for restoration for those who have lost, and for comfort for those who are grieving. May we always remember that you are actively working behind the scenes, orchestrating every detail for

our good and for your glory. As we leave this place, Lord, may we walk in faith and confidence, knowing that you are our defender, our healer, and our restorer.

Help us to live in a manner that reflects your love, grace, and mercy to those around us. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.