Do you like to watch true crime shows? I can easily get caught up is a real life “who done it” story. It’s fascinating to see how the bad guy’s sins find him out. We want justice, and we want the criminal to get repaid for what he or she did.

We are no different in real life when someone wrongs us we want them to pay. We all know the verse in Romans, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” But, even though we know the verse when someone has hurt us, we want to make sure that God doesn’t let them get by with it.

Jonah knew this feeling. Do you remember the story? God sent him to preach to Nineveh. After Jonah rebelled and God got him back on the right path via the belly of the big fish he preached to Nineveh but became angry because they repented, and God forgave them. He didn’t think they deserved God’s grace and he was right they didn’t but neither did he.

As Christians, we are supposed to be grace extenders. But, this is an impossible task on our own. Only through the grace of God in our lives can we let it flow to others. Extending grace looks different in each situation because hurts and offenses come in all different sizes and shapes. It may be meeting a need of a person who has wronged us. It may be verbally telling that person that you forgive them. It may be not seeking revenge on your own.

Whatever it looks like, extending grace always includes praying for that person and praying for yourself to handle the situation in a manner pleasing to the Lord. As is most of life, forgiveness and showing grace is a process. Just tell God what you are thinking if those old feeling of hurt and anger start creeping back into your heart and mind. We don’t have to handle it on our own. We have a Savior who extends grace to us and always has our back. He has the situation under control, and no matter how down it looks like we are in this life because of him we win in the end!

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18) (NIV)