Hope When We Need Justice

I will never forget my cry to God as I wept bitter tears from the pain another’s lies about me had caused: “But Lord, you saw what happened! It didn’t happen anything like it has been said in the rumors that are flying around. You know my heart was pure!” Sometimes, we get misunderstood. And sometimes, others intentionally mislead, gossip, lie, or even mistreat us.

In a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I chatted with Janet McHenry who shared about an incredibly painful incidence, during which her rancher-husband, Craig, had been mis-accused of something quite serious, and causing Janet and Craig great shame in their little Sierra Nevada valley town. You’ll have to listen to that episode of the podcast (How to Walk Through Shame and Fear Without Losing Faith) to hear what happened and how it was resolved, in addition to how God brought beautiful sacred scars for their painful wounds and ensuing shame. But the conversation brought me back to a time when I was unfairly judged and lies were spoken about me. How do we hold onto hope when we need justice?

When we are mistreated, or judged unfairly, a natural human tendency is to want revenge, or if not revenge, to at least be able to set the record straight with truth as we see it. Even if we could share “our side” of the story, would it really matter? The damage is done, and the wound hurts. How do we heal from that kind of heartache?

Ask God to Examine Your Heart

When mistruths were spread about me, I felt like I had been punched in the gut. The pain, while emotional and relational, felt just as physical as my stomach churned and my mind ruminated on all the unanswered questions that led me to that place. I knew what I had been accused of, and I knew that I had not done what had been said. And yet, scripture reminds us that our own hearts are deceitful, and unreliable: ““The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT).

I wanted to be clean before the Lord. So, my first prayer was consistent with Psalm 139:23 (ESV) “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” and Psalm 26:1-3 (NLT): “Declare me innocent, O LORD, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart. For I am always aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.”

Forgive the Offense

None of us ever like to be accused of something we didn’t do, especially when it’s impossible to understand the motives of others. In my situation, this person knew me for many years, knew my character, knew my integrity, AND knew their role in the situation.

My heart hurt from the lies, the deceit, and the lack of willingness to have an open conversation about the situation. And yet, I clearly heard the Lord whisper to my heart, “Forgive and leave the rest to me.” There was no point in arguing, because I knew forgiveness was the best thing I could do.

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) was quite clear: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” as was Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV): “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.”

Forgiving the offense didn’t mean it never happened, but that God was in a better position to deal with it than I was, and in my willingness to forgive, I wouldn’t become embattled in the bitterness and resentment that usually accompany unforgiveness.

Remember That God Is Just

When we remember that we serve a just God, we acknowledge that he is always innocent, he is right in everything he does, and he is consistent. He cares about his children, including when we are mistreated. Second Thessalonians 1:6-7 (NIV) reminds us, “God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.”

When injustices occur, and we are hurt by the mistruths or the slanted version of the truth, we can take comfort in knowing that God sees the entire scenario, he knows the hearts of all involved, and he will rule with fairness and justice in the end!

“His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen” (Isaiah 9:7 NLT).

Remember God Honors the Righteous

In the days that followed, I still hurt over the lies that had been spoken, and I lamented to the Lord, and then he reminded me, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5 NIV).

Jesus himself incurred the wrath, scorn, and lies of others, and yet he lived in righteousness and did whatever his father told him to do. Jesus was our role model. When I consider what Jesus endured at the hands of others, including some of his closest friends, my situation seems much less significant, and I can readjust my focus to live with my focus on my own obedience to God rather than the insults of others.

Live at Peace

The mistreatment I had endured had not escaped God and I could rest in the knowledge that he not only saw, but that he cared, and that vengeance would be his. My role was to examine my own heart, forgive the offense, live at peace with others, and trust God with the rest.

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord” (Romans 12:17-19).

I choose, and you will need to choose also, to refuse to allow injustices toward you steal the peace Jesus offers.

What have you found helpful in times of injustice? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

Hope Prevails,
Dr. Michelle

Misunderstood, misjudged, mistreated. When others lie, the wound runs deep. But God sees. He knows. And He teaches us how to hold onto hope when we need justice. Share on X Hope when we need justice comes from trusting God. Find encouragement to forgive, live in peace, and rely on His truth when you're unfairly judged. Share on X