VENGEANCE is Mine

Romans 12:19

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.

What does God mean when he says, “Vengeance is mine”? Christians are not to take personal revenge against people who hurt them. We are commanded by God to leave that to Him. Christians are not to take personal revenge against people who hurt them. We are commanded by God to leave that to Him.

*

Donald Trump has put Vengeance on the map. Because of Trump, vengeance is finally out of the closest; it’s in people’s consciousness. Without Trump, I doubt if Politico Magazine would have published James Kimmel’s article. What the Science of Addiction Tells Us About Trump. Allow me to quote some of his revelations:

· …your brain on grievance looks a lot like your brain on drugs. If you don’t take drugs because you understand the consequences, why would you indulge in revenge? Answer: The reward, the high of getting back.

· …harboring a grievance (a perceived wrong or injustice, real or imagined) activates the same neural reward circuitry as narcotics. Real or imagined. Wow. Real or imagined remains intense as the root cause remains locked in a forgotten Hell.

· Vengeance triggers cravings in anticipation of experiencing pleasure and relief through intoxication. The pleasure of winning. The pleasure, of what I call: Being on top; that is, the joy of watching your antagonist squirm.

· …retaliation doesn’t have to be physically violent, an unkind word or tweet can also be gratifying. The joy of making goo-goo eyes at the object of your wrath. The joy of keying their car. The joy of stealing their mail. The more inventive, the more hateful, the greater the sense of satisfaction: I’m winning. Haha.

· …similar to the way people become addicted to drugs or gambling, people may also become addicted to seeking retribution against their enemies – revenge addiction. As a therapist working for Jewish Family Service in Houston, I dealt solely with individuals and families fighting addictions. What the experience taught me: Everyone has to find their own bottom. Does anyone getting a high from vengeance find his or her bottom? How many people are hurt or destroyed on the way to the bottom?

· …What can be done? …addiction interventions are often risky and can backfire. The family and friends who choose to help can be added to the List of Grievances Against! …There are no quick fixes with addiction. The high of addiction, revenge, can only be replaced by a focus on forgiveness. Forgiving yourself for being emotionally destructive and forgiving those who have wronged you, real or imagined.

· …People suffering from addiction tend to experience relationship problems and conflicts, display periods of euphoria followed by depression and restlessness. Ah, yes. Read as unresolved childhood issues. My father didn’t love me. My spouse doesn’t love me. Why did my neighbor walk by without saying hello? And the big one: He’s judged me; he’s tapped into my sense of inadequacy. He knows I’m nothing. He has ripped away the scab that has kept me emotionally safe. I have to get back. Revenge. I’ll make him feel inadequate. Yes! I’ll win. Watch me. Watch me win!

· Revenge-seekers spend long periods of time obsessing over and planning ways to gratify their cravings, and engage in the addictive behavior despite the physical or psychological harm it causes. Let me be clear: the physical and psychological harm works both ways. The person plotting is equally affected. All that hate planning, even if it’s thought to be spontaneous, has an equal physical and emotional destructive force for all involved.

I mentioned to my friend Marco Waarts, Sweden, that I was thinking about vengeance. His reply:

Vengeance! Even the word sounds aggressive. Anger and frustration focused on another person to avoid going deep into oneself and see what is really going on.

Marco, I agree.