Bad news spread like wildfire. People are quick to believe the bad things they hear about good people. Journalists and newspaper companies worldwide are thankful for this because they would have been out of business long ago if it were not so.

You would be surprised to know how many people make a living out of spreading gossip and bad news. Worse still is the number of people who do it for fun, as a habit, or just because.

I’m sure you’ve been on the receiving end of gossip. You’ve been accused of something that you didn’t do or blamed for something that wasn’t your fault.

When your colleague at work, your neighbor, or even a family member badmouthed you, how did you react? For sure, you felt like fighting back.

What tends to happen is that you put Jesus aside and try to deal with the situation using your fists – or at least your tongue by cursing back or getting into a heated argument. The consequences are always as painful as the lies said about you. You catch a case, you lose a job, or end a relationship. There are never any winners.

Now I can spend a long time telling you why revenge is not the answer, why grudges will only harm you, and why forgiveness is crucial. But I also know that at the height of your anger, this is the last thing you want to hear, no matter how truthful it is. So instead, I’m going to let God sum it up for you in a very short sentence:

 “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17)

In other words, the traps, lies and accusations against you will amount to nothing because God will fight for you. However, if you do not trust in God and try to take matters into your own hands, you will be alone because in doing so, you are showing that you don’t want His help.

Remember David, who suffered at Saul’s hands for no reason? He had the opportunity to kill Saul, not once, but twice, but he stood back and allowed God to fight for him.

When you take matters into your own hands, you are bringing yourself down to the level of the one who mistreated you. Strong is the one who knows how to let go and let God. So, the next time you are tempted to repay evil with evil, stop and remember: the battle is not yours, but the Lords.

And let me tell you a secret: our God has never lost a battle. When He fights, He fights to win.

May the God of the Bible bless you.

Bishop Joshua Fonseca