HAPPY IS THE MAN WHO IS NOT EASILY OFFENDED.
JAMES 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, pay attention to what I say. Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry.
I’m not sure who said that, but it is something that Christian’s should ESPECIALLY live by. I know too often I can be too easily offended & the same goes for the people around me (close & distant relationships in my life.)
I do not think that anyone is immune from being offended, & yet I think that majority of the problem is that we do not realize that we hold the power in our emotions & minds to control living in offense. I am writing this blog because I am working on not staying in a place where I choose to be offended… even when I feel that it is justified, I am learning that my choice to stay offended only hurts me in the long-term.
Everyone in life has opinions, they each have a point of view & way of expressing it. & instead of taking everything so personally – what if we realized, ITS JUST THEIR OPINION!
I am encouraged by James 3:2 & corrected by Proverbs 29:11, because I do not want my emotions to be controlled by others reactions or expressions in my life!
JAMES 3:2
All of us get tripped up in many ways. Suppose someone is never wrong in what they say. Then they are perfect. They are able to keep their whole body under control.
PROVERBS 29:11
Foolish people let their anger run wild. But wise people keep themselves under control.
If you want to be happy longer – Choose to stop being offended.
The enemy has a goal to destroy us… & an easy way he can do this is through offense. This is becasue offense usually begins in a small way, & if we let it – it can build to the point of our destruction.
So many people wonder why they aren’t happy. They focus on all of the reasons why others aren’t treating them right. Or they harp on all the wrong that has been done towards them, & can never seem to understand why it has happened to them. It is in this line of thinking, that we accept the role & mindset of a victim & yet we are not created or meant to opperate in this way.
God has given us the power to be unoffendable! We just don’t seem to operate in the place of the unoffendable person that God created us to be. We stay offended or find ourselves in this place alot, because we make up our minds that we are justified in our offense. & yet, no matter how large the violation or level of hurt someone has caused – when we become offended… we have given away our power to the enemy!
LONG BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE – IT HAPPENS IN YOUR HEART.
STEVEN FURTICK
You do not need to fall into believing the lies of the enemy, no matter how true or justfied they feel… Being offended only holds YOU BACK! I am currently really trying to learn this lesson. I want to mature & handle myself with the reality that I am an heir of God, I do not have to feed my flesh or emotions – I CAN LEAD THEM!
YOUR LEVEL OF MATURITY IS MEASURED BY 2 THINGS:
1. How quickly can you get over offence?
2. How easily are you offended?
I cannot tell you how confronting it was when I heard this. My dad teaches this around the world, but even recently when I heard this again… I realized that I HAVE A LOT OF ROOM TO GROW! I want to make major progress in this area, so that I can honor God & so that I can be a wise person that is able to lead others by example.
PROVERBS 12:16
Foolish people are easily upset. But wise people pay no attention to hurtful words.
Something that I am learning is the closer the relationship – the greater the opportunity: For intimacy & for offense.
No one can hurt you like the people you expect to love you the most!
PROVERBS 19:11
A person’s wisdom makes them patient. They will be honored if they forgive someone who sins against them.
Releasing your offenses is ALWAYS possible – it can happen without an apology proceeding it, releasing an offense can happen without announcing to the person who offended you knowing you decided to forgive them anyway…
Letting go of an offense is a choice. I want to make this choice more effectively in my life. I personally have been dealing with laying down my offense. I know it will not be the last time. But I know the bible says,
JOHN 8:31-32
Jesus spoke to the Jews who had believed him. “If you obey my teaching,” he said, “you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth. & the truth will set you free.
When we nurse & rehearse being offended instead of killing it. It leads us to nothing but destruction… I have been asking myself a lot… “why does it feel good to grow our offenses & our hurt?”
It does not make any sense at times, but I think we have all been there at times & felt what it’s like to keep offense alive. I really believe that we keep offense alive, because it feeds our flesh. It is very weird how destruction feels so good to our flesh… & yet in the end it leaves us hurt | broken | & defeated.
Offense is an event – Offended is a decision.
Steven Furtick
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Heres a real life example:
Have you ever had an itch on your hand or foot? It won’t stop & you may not even realize it – but you have been scratching it & you look down & you are bleeding. How does that happen?!? It is the same in our hearts | minds | & spirit.
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ECCLISIASTIES 7:21-22
Don’t pay attention to everything people say. If you do, you might hear your servant cursing you. Many times you yourself have cursed others. Deep down inside, you know that’s true.
PROVERBS 19:11
A person’s wisdom makes them patient. They will be honored if they forgive someone who sins against them.
We shouldn’t wonder how we can keep offenses from happening – instead we should decide in advance what we are going to do with them? The answer is simple, & yet – it is hard to do!
2 TIMOTHY 2:24
Anyone who serves the Lord must not be hard to get along with. Instead, they must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach. The one who serves must not hold anything against anyone.
In this post I included images with 4 quotes that pertain to offense that I thought of, & they encouraged me to be a better me. You can save these for your own use – You can repost them on your social media | keep them on your phone as a reminder | or send them to someone as an encouragement to LET IT GO!
♥
Just blow my mind off!!! Thank you 🙏
Wow!!!!! I have always had an issue being offended which many times led to depression in the past. I just listened to Stephen Furtick this earlier this evening leading me to google a quote by stephen, then leadi.g me here. My husband was diagnosed with cancer and my once strong man is now fighting for his life. His words have become sharp and his facial expressions hard sometimes cutting like a knife. I remind myself he is on pain, he’s scared, he’s tired but that still doesn’t keep the offenses from cutting deep into my heart. I’m doing my best to help and pray and fight for my husband and then I realized after hearing Steven Furtick, Leon Fontaine, reading other quotes on Social Media and now reading your blog, that the enemy is well known for kicking a person when they are down. Why is it that its so easy to encourage others but when it’s you, it’s a diff ball game. So the Lord used you all to open my eyes and reminded me of who I am, a child of the Most High God, an overcomer with the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead inside of me. I don’t need to accept offense and be tormented by it any longer. I was called to be FREE, I am the righteousness God. Thank.you so much for sharing your heart.
Ruby
WOW RUBY, WHAT AN AMAZING STORY & WHAT INCREDIBLE INSIGHT.
LOVE YOUR HEART!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING! 🙂