Offenses Will Come

Jesus said in Matthew 18:7, that offenses will come.  It is guaranteed, that things will come and rub you the wrong way.  But our response to offense determines what path our life takes.

Many people are hurt and offended in life.  Always wounded, always victims, always feeling hurt.  Things in life will come to steal our joy and cause us to be offended.  But it’s entirely our choice whether we take the offense.  Some people like being offended.  They’re an offense going somewhere to happen.  We must make the decision, “Nothing is going to offend me.”

Ps 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”  When we love the Word of God and are “doers of the Word,” then no offense can take us off the path that God has for our lives.

Offenses are linked many times to what a person feels that someone should have done or said to them.  They’re hurt because someone failed them.  They say, “They embarrassed me.”  “They abused me.”  “They hurt me.”  We must examine that statement.  What got hurt?  Their pride.  Pride needs to get hurt!  In fact, it needs to be killed!  Pride is more concerned about what others say than what God says.  We need to make a decision, that no matter what someone else says, no matter what someone does or doesn’t do for us, that we’re not going to be offended.  The Bible says in 1 Cor 13:5, AMP that “love is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].”

If you are truly walking in the love of God, you will not keep a record keeping book in your heart, listing all of the things and ways that you were done wrong.  Rehearsing those things will not improve your future and it certainly does not foster love.

Something that’s always helped me is this – when it comes to other people doing something for me – “Expect nothing and appreciate everything.”  Then if someone doesn’t do something for me, I’m not offended.  I wasn’t expecting them to do it anyway.  Then I can be thankful for anything that does happen.  This is in regards to people, but I can and should always expect from God, because people aren’t our source.

Hebrews 12:15 AMP, says “ Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it—

If you don’t deal with an offense, then it will take root and grow into bitterness.  Bitterness is like drinking poison, and waiting for the other person to die.  Many people are bitter – mad at God, mad at people, at their spouse or kids.  Why?  Because of what happened or didn’t happen.  The truth is in all of our lives, we’ve had things that went wrong but we must never let it get us bitter.  Bitterness is deadly and gets in to people’s lives in a subtle manner. It can go undetected for a little while, until that root starts to grow.  We must take care of it when it’s just a root.  It’s easier to destroy something when it’s a root rather than when it becomes a tree.  If you deal with an offense correctly, by forgiving and choosing to walk in love, you’ll turn out better, not bitter.  So never allow an offense to get in your heart.  Proverbs 4:23 “For out of it (your heart) flows the issues of life.

We must protect our heart, our spirit, and not allow offenses in.  People may try and lay the blame on others but the truth is, they should have never let the offense come in their hearts to begin with.  It started as a root of bitterness that has grown in their lives.  It not only affects them but everyone they come in contact with. Bitterness damages relationships, ends up repelling people from you and leaves you lonely.  So make the decision, “I won’t be defiled.”  “I won’t be offended.”  “I’m going to protect my heart.”  Because as you do, life will flow out of you that will affect others.  Not only will you be free but you’ll bring freedom to others.

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