True and authentic love is not easily offended.
In our culture today, it’s almost a good thing to be offended. If you’re not vocal and greatly offended about certain topics then you are just as much to blame.
Pride is also admired.
We praise those that stick to their guns and don’t back down. While those *can* be good qualities, what I’m seeing in our culture today is that we are lacking compassion and we are not teachable.
We have become offended, arrogant, angry fools.
So many scriptures warn against this very thing! Our way of thinking isn’t how Jesus thinks. We need to surrender our way to Him.
Here is the thing, if you’re a prideful offended fool then you are probably extremely miserable. Anxiety ridden with poison in your heart that’s slowly killing you.
Offense is poison. And pride leads to death.
You can be free though! It just requires letting go of the things that you think bring you comfort but they really suck the life from you.
First, we need a God perspective of sin.
The best picture of this I have is poop.
Imagine you’re making cookies. The person you're offended with is also making cookies. They put 1 cup of poop in the batter. You only have 1 teaspoon of poop in your batter. You both bake the cookies. You reason with God on why He should eat your cookies instead of theirs. There is less poop! But, nonetheless, NO ONE is eating those cookies. It doesn’t matter how much or how little the poop in the batter is. They’re tainted.
Luckily for us, Jesus tells us that we will be forgiven in the same way we forgive others.
Word to the wise, or at least the people who want to be; forgive like your life depends on it. Because it kind of does. No matter the cost.
This is what it is to pick up our cross and follow Jesus.
If you feel offended and you think you have a right to be, seek God. Humble yourself before Him, get on your face and ask Him to show you if there be any wicked way in your heart. Repent. You are the one bound when you’re offended.
Freedom lies in letting go.
There are some heinous things that we experience on this side of heaven that are purely evil and greatly offensive. I’m not justifying any of those things, but what was done to Christ was just as heinous and yet He cried for their souls and pleaded, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” Remember that what we are up against is demonic. Our battle isn’t flesh and blood. Know that when you forgive someone you’re not justifying the evil that was done. You’re releasing them and yourself of the hatred in your heart.
Ask God to soften your heart. Ask Holy Spirit to help you to release your offense. Ask Him to help you humble yourself. Pray for them the way you’d want to be prayed for if you were them.
“When you act with presumption, convinced that you’re right, don’t be surprised if you fall flat on your face! But humility leads to wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2 TPT
“Wisdom pours into you when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life, for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about. Then you will discover that your pompous pride and perverse speech are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!””
Proverbs 8:13 TPT
“The source of strife is found in an angry heart, for sin surrounds the life of a furious man. Lift yourself up with pride and you will soon be brought low, but a meek and humble spirit will add to your honor.”
Proverbs 29:22-23 TPT
“The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth is enough to protect them. It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble. A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest, for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility. Listen before you speak, for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation.”
Proverbs 18:11-13 TPT
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Romans 12:14-18 NKJV
“For: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord. So let’s be clear. To have the Lord’s approval and commendation is of greater value than bragging about oneself.”
2 Corinthians 10:17-18 TPT
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.””
I Samuel 16:7 NKJV
“And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.””
Mark 7:20-23 NKJV
“For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance —none of these things come from the Father but from the world.”
1 John 2:16 TPT
“He chose the lowly, the laughable in the world’s eyes—nobodies—so that he would shame the somebodies. For he chose what is regarded as insignificant in order to supersede what is regarded as prominent, so that there would be no place for prideful boasting in God’s presence.”
1 Corinthians 1:28-29 TPT
“The believer who is poor still has reasons to boast, for he has been placed on high. But those who are rich should boast in how God has brought them low and humbled them, for all their earthly glory will one day fade away like a wildflower in the meadow.”
James (Jacob) 1:9-10 TPT
“To all the rich of this world, I command you not to be wrapped in thoughts of pride over your prosperity, or rely on your wealth, for your riches are unreliable and nothing compared to the living God. Trust instead in the one who lavishes upon us all good things, fulfilling our every need.”
1 Timothy 6:17 TPT
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.””
Daniel 4:37 NASB1995
“And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value.”
1 Corinthians 13:3 TPT
~ Amanda Santistevan
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