The Lord expects us to act justly and do what is right. How do we ensure we are standing in the gap for others rather than fighting for our own cause?
First of all, we should ask ourselves if the outcome of this situation would benefit us personally. If the outcome is of a greater benefit to us rather than others, then we are fighting for ourselves rather than standing in the gap for the injustice faced by others.
Secondly, does the injustice cause us to get offended to the point of anger and hatred towards others? Then we are either fighting for ourselves, or our soul is not purified enough to hear God clearly on the battle plan. The scripture clearly states:
for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:20
If we want to fight for justice, we need to allow God to purify our hearts otherwise, our battle stems from our self-righteousness rather than God’s righteousness.
Thirdly, we should determine if we are jealous of the perpetrator? Many times, injustice causes us to be jealous of others. We feel those individuals are getting away with their oppression. The scripture tells us:
Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; Proverbs 3:31
If we envy the oppressor, our focus has shifted from God to man. When our focus changes, our ways will begin to change as well. The scripture commands us not to envy the oppressors. That means we have much work to do with God in order for Him to soften our hearts and even fill our hearts with love rather than envy and jealousy.
When we are fighting for ourselves, the injustice feels very personal and makes us almost jealous of what others have done. When we are fighting for others, our hearts are guarded, and we are not as emotional about it. We can speak and act with the sober mind and soft hearts, and we can allow things to play out according to God’s time-frame.
If we desire to do what is right, we need to get the mind and the heart of Christ. We study the scriptures to find what God says about every situation. We also need to examine our motives and the condition of our hearts. This allows us to represent the Lord in the injustice rather than ourselves.
Do you see the injustices around you? Do you have opportunities to stand for justice for others? Are you certain that you are fighting for others rather than yourself?
