everyone gets cheated in life. no one is an exception to it. if a stranger cheats you then it is still easy to forgive but when someone you love or trust cheats you then it hurts more. because he betrays your trust and love as well.
at times the feeling of getting cheated is so hurtful that you would like to take revenge and settle the score. in that deeply hurtful state, revenge seems to be the only just way. but as a seeker of truth, i would suggest you to stay away from such things. because it does not help you in the long run.
why its futile to take revenge as a spiritual seeker:
1. how do know who is the real culprit?
when you judge someone as good, bad or ugly then its like judging the book after reading one page. if someone cheats you then it does not necessarily mean that he has done something wrong with you. to find the real culprit you have to look at bigger picture. because you never know what you have done in your previous lives. may be you have cheated this person in the previous birth and now he is just settling the score. so don’t judge the situation and don’t come to a conclusion. your duty is to raise your consciousness and to perform the right karma in life. leave the justice department to god or to time or to karma. they balance the score in the best possible way.
2. you get stuck in the chain process of revenge.
in case, the other person has started the process by cheating you first time. then now you have two options. either to forget and forgive and keep on moving in life or the second option is to take revenge from him. if you choose to take revenge then it can lead to a chain reaction. in next life he might take revenge from you again. so in the end, someone has to finish this whole matter by choosing not to take revenge. so why not you be the person to end this cycle of revenge?
3. you lose the chance to grow
when you focus your energy in taking revenge then you lose sight of the bigger goal of your life that is to get enlightened. you lose the chance to transform your energies.
4. you lower your consciousness
someone who choose to take revenge rather than forgive is taking the path of violence. this lowers your consciousness and you might create negative karma for yourself. moreover, your consciousness gets identified with revenge feeling and with the other person. unknowingly you will be inviting the energies of other person in your life by continuously remembering him. all this is just a waste of time, energies and a golden chance to grow in human birth.
instead of focusing on revenge and lowering your consciousness, its better to choose the path of self transformation. i would not even suggest that you forgive and forget. even to do that you might need to spend time and energy. i would say, just keep on moving. if someone cheats you, its fine. let time and karma decide the fate of the other person. you don’t need to waste your time in judging him as a good or bad person. just keep on moving on the spiritual path.
as a spiritual seeker your focus should be to transform yourself. be a better person. raise your consciousness. spread peace and love in the world. violence will only breed violence and the world is already going through a tough phase. so choose peace over war, love over hatred and consciousness over unconsciousness.