6 Scriptures to Help You Let Go of Wrongs
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As we live and co-exist with others who also need the saving power of Jesus, wronging one another can and does happen regularly. We say the wrong thing and do the wrong things, causing someone else to be angry with and hurt by us.
Thankfully, we have the Word of God to encourage us to forgive instead of holding onto grudges, to seek peace instead of strife, and to love even when it is hard to love those who have hurt us. However, even if we have forgiven someone for a wrong they did against us, it can be hard to move forward from that wrong and not think of it when crossing paths with this person. The same can also apply to a place, a thing, or an event that has happened.
We can read countless Scriptures about gaining peace, finding contentment, and being filled with God’s love, to the point where our focus is no longer on wrongs. But what about daily encounters with the wrong committed against you, when you see the person who hurt you or deal with the event that happened?
God knew we would be in situations like this, and He knows we need guidance on what to do to get ourselves into a godly perspective to move forward. Thus, the following Scriptures have been given to us for this time of letting go and moving on.
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1. 1 Peter 5:7
“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
One of the more recognized Scriptures related to handling anxieties in life, 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that when we are dealing with people, situations or events that bring us turmoil, God is the one we need to take these struggles to the most.
Not only is God well-versed in everything we will ever experience in this life, but He has compassion and patience for us when sometimes we don’t turn to Him first. He cares for us so when we do come to Him with these difficulties that prevent us from moving forward, He can take those difficulties from us and ease our souls and minds.
2. Ephesians 4:26
“Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
Ephesians 4:26 should the golden rule we follow at the end of each day, not letting whatever angers us continues into the next day. However, we all can probably say that we have let things that hurt us fester into the next day, and maybe even into multiple days and years, instead of letting them go properly.
The apostle Paul states here that it is okay to be angry when wrongs happen to us. But if it causes us to sin – by taking revenge on a person or doing something harmful to cope with the pain – you are letting the wrong control your future. As 1 Peter 5:7 said before, take your concerns to God so He can help you grieve the wrong and stop it from defining your walk in faith, especially before the sun goes down.
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3. John 8:32
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
No truer words were spoken than when Christ proclaimed in John 8:32 that when we know the truth, it will free us from the wrongs of this world. The truth – being who He is and what He came to do for us – is to help us break free from the bondage of sin and hurt.
When you think about what someone has done to you or an event that has happened to you, when you remember God is the God of the impossible, Jesus died for our redemption back to God, and we are never alone in life because of the Holy Spirit in us, you find the chains of that wrong being removed from you. This understanding helps you to not be bothered by the event or person each passing day. Knowing God cares for you and will help you through this gives you hope and encouragement.
4. Proverbs 28:13
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
It may seem an odd choice of Scripture when we are talking about someone committing wrong against you. But Proverbs 28:13 prompts us to recall that when we act inappropriately because we have been mistreated, it will hinder our path ahead. As the verse states, when we try to cover up the wrong we do in response to a wrong done to us, we will never prosper.
When someone has hurt us, we can be filled with anger, resentment, and the desire for revenge. But when we confess these feelings to God and ask Him to forgive us, He will offer mercy through His forgiveness. By knowing God has forgiven us for the inner turmoil we were experiencing, then we can begin the process of letting go of the hurt caused by others.
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5. Philippians 4:6-7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
This verse is a favorite of many. When we give our struggles to God with open, trusting hearts, His love and peace will come to our hearts and minds. When we go to God with our struggles, it also helps to have thanksgiving in our hearts, for the journey we have been on and the lessons we have learned.
The apostle Paul emphasizes in this verse from Philippians that God’s peace will come in situations when we are hurt by a wrong. He helps us understand a situation that we couldn’t before, and helps us let go of what happened in order to have true peace. Only when we surrender our hearts and minds to God, giving these struggles as prayer requests, can we gain this peace for the future we crave.
6. Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
I left my most favored Scripture for last. God reminds us through the words of King David that He is God and is exalted over everything and everyone. When we are still in our difficult situations, we can remember that God is present and will help heal our hurts.
When we experience a wrong, it can feel like God didn’t see what happened or doesn’t care about our feelings. However, nothing could be further from the truth; God knows what happened to us and is just as heartbroken as we are. Before we get ready to exact our revenge on someone who hurt us, we need to be still and recall that God can do all things and can make good from this situation.
What these verses show us is that, although God gave us emotions that we are to feel on all levels, He also wants us to make peace. We must move forward so that we can continue to take part in His plan for our lives. He wants us to grow from the experience, to be able to encourage others to get through life’s hardships, even while we ourselves remain dependent on God for our daily battles.
It's not easy to let go of the hurt caused by others. But when we know God can heal our souls and help us move forward, we can see a resolution at the end of the tunnel.
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