Jeremiah 20:12 states “O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.” This verse comes from a prayer of Jeremiah when he was facing persecution for proclaiming God’s word. In his distress, Jeremiah cries out to God asking for vindication against those who were persecuting him. This verse provides insight into how we can plead our cause before God when facing trials or persecution.
First, we plead our cause before God by reminding ourselves of His character – that He tests the righteous, sees the heart and mind, and is a God of vengeance against wrongdoing. God knows our situation fully and sees the injustice we may be facing. We can cry out to Him knowing He is a just God who will make things right in His timing.
Second, we commit our cause to God instead of trying to defend ourselves or take vengeance. Jeremiah stated “to you have I committed my cause.” He left vindication and justice in God’s hands rather than trying to bring it about himself. When we are wronged, it can be tempting to lash out in our own defense. But as believers, we are called to entrust our cause to the Lord and trust Him to be our defender.
Third, we plead our cause persistently and with passion. Jeremiah cried out “let me see your vengeance!” He didn’t brush off the persecution but continually brought it before God in prayer until God responded. As we plead our cause, we should be honest with God about our desire for justice and persistent in praying for His intervention.
Fourth, we acknowledge God’s sovereignty over our lives and situation. The verse begins “O Lord of hosts” – a reminder that all the heavenly armies are under God’s command. Nothing is outside of His control. When pleading our cause, we can have confidence that God has power over every aspect of our lives.
Fifth, we focus on God’s faithfulness rather than our emotions. Jeremiah based his plea on God’s character, not his own distress. He knew God to be faithful, true and just. As we plead our cause, we must remember that God is good and trustworthy, despite our difficult circumstances.
In summary, pleading our cause before God starts with recognizing His sovereign power and justice, committing our situation fully into His hands rather than trying to defend ourselves, persistently bringing our petition to Him in prayer, and trusting His faithful character over our emotions or circumstances. God hears our pleas and He cares deeply about justice being done. As the righteous judge, He can be trusted to make things right in His perfect timing.
Examples of Pleading Our Cause in Scripture
There are other examples in Scripture of believers crying out to God and pleading their cause when facing injustice or persecution:
- David – Many of David’s psalms plead his cause before God when he was being persecuted by Saul or other enemies (Psalms 5, 17, 43).
- Jeremiah – In addition to Jeremiah 20:12, Jeremiah pleaded his cause in other passages like Jeremiah 18:19-23 when he was persecuted for his prophecies.
- Stephen – In Acts 7:59-60, as Stephen was being stoned to death he pleaded “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
- Paul – In 2 Timothy 4:14-16, Paul asks God to bring justice against Alexander the coppersmith who did him great harm.
- The martyrs in Revelation 6:10 cry out “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
These examples give us models to follow. We see believers crying out to God from a place of trust in His justice and sovereignty, asking for vindication and deliverance according to His will.
How to Apply This in Our Lives
While the examples above dealt with serious persecution, we can plead our cause before God even in mundane matters. Here are some ways we can apply this principle:
- Pray through difficult work situations – If you face an unfair boss, stressful work conditions, unethical practices, etc., plead your cause before God. Ask Him to help you, grant you favor, intervene, or provide a new job.
- Seek God’s justice after mistreatment – If you experience discrimination, betrayal, abuse, or oppression, bring it to the Lord in prayer persistently and trusting God to be your defender.
- Ask God to fight spiritual battles – When facing spiritual warfare, demonic oppression, or attacks from the enemy, ask God to fight the battle for you based on His power and commitment to give you victory in Christ.
- Pray through relational brokenness – If you are struggling relationally with a family member or friend, plead your cause before God, asking Him to mend the relationship, soften hearts, and provide reconciliation.
- Request God’s help in court cases – If you are embroiled in a legal dispute, pray for God’s justice to prevail and trust Him to move through the system to bring about a righteous resolution.
- Ask God to redeem your failures – If you have failed spiritually or blown an opportunity, ask God to forgive you and redemptively use your mistakes to bring glory to Himself.
In all these areas, we can plead our cause, not based on our own merit but according to God’s character, His commitment to justice, and His sovereign power to act. As we pray, we can surrender outcomes to the Lord and trust Him to handle matters in His perfect will and timing.
Trusting God with Our Cause
Pleading our cause is not just venting our emotions but actively trusting God to respond. How can we maintain trust as we wait on God’s justice and intervention?
- Remember past faithfulness – God has proven Himself faithful before, so trust His heart based on prior demonstrations of His goodness, protection and care.
- Rely on God’s promises – Scripture contains many promises that God will uphold the righteous, bring justice, defend the oppressed, and act on behalf of His children.
- Stay focused on eternal perspective – Our current troubles are temporary but God’s rewards are eternal. Keep an eternal viewpoint when pleading your case.
- Look for God’s purpose in the trial – Know that God can use struggles to strengthen our faith and refine our character to be more like Christ.
- Give thanks for what God has already done – Thanking God for past and current blessings strengthens faith in His on-going purposes.
- Wait patiently – God often works in complex ways over time. Avoid demanding He meet our expectations but trust in His perfect timing.
As we plead our case but then surrender to God’s sovereign plan, He gives us supernatural peace and the ability to “count it all joy” (James 1:2-4) because His purposes are good even when life is hard. We can even come to “glory in tribulations” (Romans 5:3-5) because of how God redeems them for our greater good.
God Honors Those Who Honor Him
When we honor God by pleading our cause with right motives, over time He honors us. As 1 Samuel 2:30 states “for those who honor me I will honor.” Ways God honors and vindicates those who trust in Him include:
- He protects our souls from bitterness or revenge when we commit our cause to Him.
- He works in the situation to bring justice and make wrongs right, often in surprising ways.
- He strengthens our faith through the persevering process.
- He reveals His larger purposes at work that transcend our limited perspective.
- He draws people to Himself as they observe His faithfulness to us.
- He ultimately rewards with eternal blessing those who entrust their cause to Him.
In eternity we will look back with awe and wonder at how God powerfully answered our pleas for justice and vindication. We will be so humbled and grateful that we committed our cause to Him rather than trying to defend ourselves or play God. He alone can perfectly plead and defend our cause in His unfailing love and infinite wisdom.
Conclusion
When facing injustice, trials or persecution, we have a powerful advocate and defender in the Lord. As Jeremiah 20:12 exemplifies, we can plead our cause before God, trusting in His sovereign power, goodness and commitment to justice. By committing our cause to the Lord in persistent prayer and maintaining faith in Him, we allow God to fight for us in His perfect timing and ways. When we honor Him through the process, He in turn honors us. Though God’s plan may be different than our own, we can rest knowing the righteous Judge of all the earth will make all things right in the end.
