Do not repay one bad turn with another 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9. Do not injure anyone, but bear injuries patiently. (Rule of St. Benedict 4. 29-30)
First of all, bearing injuries patiently is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of goodness. Only the strong bear up. Only the good restrain themselves when evil beckons, because evil is not their master.
Secondly, this principle isn’t about defending yourself in the moment of attack. You have the right to self-defense. This is about the aftermath: now what? Why did God let a bad thing happen?
Weak people fall apart and lash out at everyone around them as they disintegrate. For a brief moment, they enjoy an experience of power: the power to destroy. There’s something appealing about power, even when you know it’s fleeting, even when you know it’s hateful. The Church calls this appeal the glamor of evil. As Christians we reject it, along with Satan and all his works.
On the other hand, strong people hold themselves together, hold on to what they know is good and hold out for what they know is right. Sometimes they hang on by their fingernails. As Christians this is the character we aspire to, and God knows it’s hard. Sometimes the path leads straight up the face of a cliff.
Why does God let bad things happen? You can be on the right path and still fall and get hurt. Getting hurt doesn’t mean that God is against you. It means that there’s an inherent risk to living at all. You were thrust into existence without being consulted. But now that you’re here, you’re free to venture your all for the good. The promise of Christ is that ultimately your venture will pay off. Death is not the end.
People who have only this world to live for figure that nothing they do matters. But the Christian message is that everything you do matters, even the tiny things. For instance, even a small gesture of kindness counts in the sight of God. He is always at work everywhere for good, and he invites you to participate in that work, wherever you are, whoever you are.
But you are free to reject his offer. You can rage against your Creator. He allowed evil into this world, and now you can increase the sum of evil.
However, know that if you choose for what is right and true and good, God is on your side, even if everything else in the universe is against you. And he promises that the pain will last only as long as this life. Moreover, you will emerge into peace for eternity.
Meanwhile, there’s everything we have to face in this moment in time. Sometimes we can’t understand why God does what he does. Why does he hurt us? Why make us stay in place in a corner with a cone around our necks? We didn’t do anything wrong! So heave a big sigh and wait: maybe something good will come along next.
Don’t fret. Don’t chew on your hurt and make it worse. Instead, save your energy for the good you can do. If the path before you is clear, and if you have the strength, get up every day and keep going. Be patient. Bear up. There’s no quick fix to any killer problem, and you will encounter many problems along the way.
Most importantly, when you’ve honestly done everything you can do, then stand firm and wait for God himself to act on your behalf. If you can’t stand up anymore, sit down. If even sitting up is too much, lie still and be who you are where you are. There’s a time to let people who love you take care of you. You’re not alone in this. Fix sad eyes on your Maker. Remain alert to his call.
An injury can happen in an instant. The healing takes a long, long time. It saps all the strength you’ve got. Why does God let bad things happen?
We don’t understand why yet. Healing is your job now. We want you back.
