When Offense Comes
I have been pondering “offenses”. Offenses are very powerful feelings that cause us to build walls and set, sometimes, lifelong boundaries to keep out those that have, either on purpose or inadvertently, offended us.
We all have been offended but how we handle those feelings set us apart from others. We can get upset, whether we do it quietly or boisterously, and vow to never allow that to happen to us again. Even if it means to turn our back on the person or persons who have offended us. Our human nature slaps a label on whole groups of people as the offenders even though only one person was offensive.
The Bible speaks of offense:
Luke 17:1 ¶ Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
The first thing Jesus said “offences will come” It is inevitable! We are built with feelings and from birth we all came out easily offendable (if that’s a word). We were deeply offended when Mom and Dad said “no more candy”. We were offended when trying to walk we would fall down time and again. It hurt our feeling when our boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with us. It’s in our DNA to be offended. As we mature we learn to grow from our offenses. We don’t see it as an earth shattering travesty when the offence comes but we recognize it as bumps in the road of life. We quickly learn to use those bumps to make us better. We forgive and forget!
Although oftentimes I see that “forgive and forget” isn’t a part of the equation. At some point in our lives, we were hurt so badly we developed scars that are ever present. The scars remind us of the hurt and humiliation of the offense. Every time we see that person or a person from their circle of friends the offense raises its head as a perpetual memorial. It never goes away!
The enemy of our soul knows what makes us tick or should I say what pulls our grenade pin. He knows how to start the avalanche of feelings all over again. I always tell my husband to “stop pushing my buttons because you might find one that works”! Well the enemy knows what button works on us and he loves to press it!
In all honesty, that very “button” holds us back from blessing and truthfully from forgiveness. It really comes down to forgiveness. We really do have to forgive.
Matthew 6:
14 ¶ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
As much as we want to stay mad, the Lord’s Prayer says we can’t!
Colossians 3: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Bear with each other = make allowances for each other’s faults Forgive anyone who offends you.
Don’t say “ l don’t go to church (put your own place here) because so and so is there!” Guess what!? That “so and so” is still controlling you! Besides that, your offense (refusal to forgive) is preventing you from being obedient to the word of God! You can’t move past the wall created by you, to keep others out. You are the prisoner!
The enemy pushes your “button” to isolate you from the very place (or people) you desperately need to survive. I need you, you need me! We are the body of Christ! And if we are the body we can’t have a rogue finger out in ten buck two! It doesn’t work that way! We move together as one body, as God intended!
Job had (by our standards) every right to be offended at God. Job was a righteous man minding his own business when God asked Satan have your considered my servant, Job? (Job 1, go read it) God allowed Satan to do all of those terrible things to Job to verify his loyalty to Him. The only thing Satan couldn’t do to Job was kill him. It was just a test!
Job could have turned His back on God and became offended. He could have closed himself in his house and never came out again. He lost his children, his livestock and his reputation was ruined. He broke out in boils and he sat in a heap of ashes from the fire scraping his wounds. Not to mention, his so called friends sitting with him telling him all the things he possibly had done wrong to incur the wrath of God and last, but certainly not least, his wife begged him to curse God and die! Can you imagine the emotional trauma Job had to endure! It took all he had to stand strong!
He didn’t get mad and quit. He didn’t give up because everyone was talking about him. He didn’t care that the world was staring him down. He pressed through the storm, he trusted in his creator and he came out victorious!
Did he have scars? I would imagine he had physical scars and psychological ones as well! He missed the children he’d lost and he most likely dreaded the task of starting over but he never lost his relationship with God!
Job 13:15 “Though He slay me yet will I trust Him; but I will maintain my ways before Him.
In todays vernacular, Job was saying “I’m gonna keep on, keeping on. I will not stop!” “I won’t let adversity come between me and my God! I will obey the word of God, no matter the cost!”
What about you? Have you been offended? Have you put up walls that now is holding you hostage? I declare to you to break free from that baggage and forgive those that have trespassed against you!
Our prayer today: Lord, help me to lay my offences down and forgive the offenders! Teach me to pray! Let me learn of you and help me to follow you without reservation! In Jesus’ name I pray! Amen!
