God Is Your Defender

Book excerpt: Businesswoman, television personality, and survivor Rosie Rivera shares how to lean on God as defender in the midst of life’s hurts and wounds while also grappling with the strong desire for justice and retaliation. Revenge is one of our deepest instincts. When we have been hurt or when something has been stolen from us, whether that be our innocence or our good name or a loved one, the desire to retaliate is irresistible. But is it the right response of a follower of Jesus? As a survivor herself, Rosie Rivera has walked in this tension, a sojourner in the search for healing and wholeness in the light of horrific wrongs. She has wrestled the desire to defend herself, her reputation, and her family while also wanting to let God be her Defender. God Is Your Defender is about understanding the motives behind your thoughts and behaviors toward those who have wronged you. It is about the conditions you might have put on forgiveness. It is about fighting the urge to take over instead of trusting God. It is about learning how to truly rest in the Lord as the One who defends you and actively abiding in his peace. Backed by biblical examples and personal stories, Rosie guides you to a place of healing as you: Learn the difference between a vengeful spirit and a heart of advocacy Stop the self-destructive cycle of the desire for revenge Discern effectively when to take a righteous stand and when to stand back and let God defend you Experience how to move from an “eye for an eye” mentality to an “I for an I” by exchanging “I am hurt” for “I am healing” Let go of the pain of the past without ignoring what happened God Is Your Defender equips you to respond to hurtful situations, from the most minor to some of the most difficult, from a place of empowerment and peace.