Revenge, Retribution, and Revival

“Beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” - Romans 12:19

Introduction

I remember the moment, like it has been seared into my memory, how I felt after the attacks of September 11, 2001. I was devastated and heartbroken at the loss of life on American soil, but following that emotion was rage and a desire to see someone pay for what they had done. As Americans, we were united in grief, but also in a burning passion for justice. Many felt the urge for revenge, the impulse to strike back, to make someone pay.

Yesterday, that same surge of emotion was rising again in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Across the country, sorrow is mixing with outrage. People are asking, “Who will answer for this?” and “How can this ever be made right?”

The desire for revenge is powerful because deep wounds fuel it. Yet in times like these, when anger presses us to act, God’s Word calls us to lay down our sword and trust in His. Revenge belongs to man, but retribution belongs to God. And as His people, we are called to rise above the cycle of hate and demonstrate a better way.

Revenge Is Our Default

Revenge feels natural. It demands an immediate response. It tells us that justice delayed is justice denied. But revenge never truly heals, it only deepens the wound. It consumes us with bitterness, blinds us to God’s purposes, and drags us into the very darkness we long to escape. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32) Although I feel anger and want immediate answers and action, I also know that revenge is futile. It is like pouring 16 ounces of water into the ocean and expecting the world to notice because it made such an impact. Revenge is overrated.

Retribution Is Divine

God’s retribution is not about impulse but perfect justice. He sees what we cannot. He weighs what we do not know. His judgment is righteous, holy, and never swayed by selfish anger. To trust God’s retribution is not to ignore evil, but to rest in the assurance that “the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” (Isaiah 30:18) Trusting that God will do what is right, when it is right, and the way it is right takes more courage than seeking revenge. This is not passivity, it is not ignoring evil, it is not throwing up our hands helplessly, it is a true act of faith and worship to believe that only God can bring real retribution to those who have acted in such heinous and evil ways. This is why He has raised up government and put a sword in their hands. (Romans 13:4) I pray that our government will act as God’s instrument of justice and righteousness. If they do not, I can always trust that God is greater than our government! He can bring retribution in astonishing and staggering ways that will cause mankind to worship Him. (Revelation 19:1-3)

Revival Is Our Desire

So how should God’s people respond in the shadow of tragedy? By remembering that we do not overcome evil by multiplying it. We overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Our answer is not retaliation but revival. Our revenge is revival. When the enemy strikes with violence, we respond with prayer, humility, repentance, and a renewed pursuit of holiness. When hate divides, we display the love of Christ that unites. When fear grips hearts, we lift high the hope of the Gospel.

The truest justice is not man’s wrath but God’s work of redemption. Revival in the land, the turning of hearts back to God, is the most significant victory we can seek in response to evil.

When tragedy shakes a nation and anger tempts our hearts, we stand at a crossroads: revenge or revival. One path leads deeper into bitterness and destruction, the other into trust and triumph. The world shouts for vengeance, but the cross whispers of grace. The enemy may strike with terror, but God brings truth and transformation. The darkness may rage, but light will always overcome.

Let us choose the higher ground. Let us lay down the sword of retaliation and take up the banner of revival. For in the end, the greatest testimony to a broken world is not that God’s people sought revenge, but that they trusted His retribution and lived as a revived people.