I’m particularly impressed with an incident from the life of King David before he took the throne. I’d like to tell you I would do the same thing in his circumstance but that would probably be wishful thinking. It’s so tempting to take matters into your hands if you can.

David was on the run from Saul’s jealousy and murderous intent for years. None of Saul’s treatment of him was deserved; David was an honorable servant of the first king of Israel. At one point, Saul ended up unknowingly going into a cave where David was in hiding.

Basically, Saul was in David’s hands and now would be the perfect time for him to avenge himself and take up the throne God had promised him. He could have thought that maybe that was precisely the opening God was providing. But no, rather he said to Saul; “May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12).

Have you ever had such a golden opportunity to avenge yourself against an enemy of yours? DON’T DO IT. Remember David. If you read on you will see that God sovereignly brought justice for David against Saul and raised him to the throne in his own time. David never needed to lift a finger to make it happen.

It’s tempting to avenge yourself unless you see that God’s vengeance is sweeter than anything you might dream up could ever be.