Thoughts for Life: Offenses Will Come

Jean Oathout: As offenses will come, may today's post shed light on how we need to deal with what comes our way, and what we can learn about the affect others have on us when we are offended.

When someone offends us, we begin building a wall in that relationship to protect ourselves. We process everything through the information we have, whether we are right or wrong in our assumption that the offense was worthy of hurting us. (Google image, The BAIT of SATAN)

Holding onto offenses and not dealing with them properly results in a tragic chain of pain in our lives and the lives of those around us. This may very well cause our hearts to grow cold and tempt us to abandon faith. This could cause others to do likewise.

The long-term effects from not dealing with offenses are blaming others, bitterness and complaining. The truth is, no one can take you out of God's will but you. The major way is from holding onto offenses. The longer we choose to hold onto them, the more resentful and bitter we become.

All authority is given by God, and He expects us to honor those over us with respect to their god-given positions. We can avoid being offended with those in authority by choosing to live in God's love. We can cast out fear by walking in His love, as it empowers us to forgive, and to release and bless those who we believe have mistreated us.

God loves us and wants us to trust Him to defend us in difficult situations that tempt us to be offended. Admitting to Him we've been offended, releasing the person into His hands, and forgiving them are crucial steps to freedom from the hurtful effects of taking offenses.

Remembering that we've been forgiven of our unforgivable offenses against God can help us be willing to forgive those who offend us in various ways; imaginary or real. God knows our inability to forgive others and wants to walk us through the process to freedom. His ability to forgive, gives us faith that He will help us forgive offenses we have from time to time.

The trap of taking offenses is offered probably many times a day, and when we take note of it, we'll see the plan the evil one has to steal, kill and destroy us through them. (See John 10:10.)

Forgiveness is something that we do in our hearts; we release someone from a debt that we feel they've owed us. When we've offended someone, we'll need to make things right with them, if at all possible; referred to as reconciliation.

May we look to the Lord Jesus for guidance and the power of His Holy Spirit within us as believers, to not take offenses, but to ask Him to help us overcome every temptation to be offended, and to be on the alert to not offend others.

{From notes in class with Nancy Demary
on the study of The BAIT of SATAN}.

Our prayer today:

Praying hands

Father, we have the tendency to build a wall against someone who's offended us, so as to protect ourselves.
When we are hurt by taking an offense, we process everything through the information we have, whether there's truth in our assumption, or a misunderstanding that's promoting us to believe we should be offended.
Help us see that our holding onto offenses and not dealing with them properly causes a tragic chain of pain in our lives and in the lives of those around us. It may be the cause of their hearts growing cold and even tempt us to abandon faith; causing others to do likewise.
As You want us to trust You to defend us in difficult situations that tempt us to be offended, help us release the person into Your hands, and forgive them; which leads to freedom from the hurtful effects of taking offenses.

Today's Bible verses-

Ps. 119:165 "Great peace have they which love thy law;
and nothing shall offend them."

James 3:15-16 "This wisdom descendeth not from above,
but is earthy, sensual, devilish, (16) For where envying
and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

Col. 3:13 "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even
as Christ forgave you so also do ye."

Phil. 2:14-15 "Do all things without murmurings
and disputings: that ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among
whom ye shine as lights in the world."

Today's quote-

Lee Forbes-
"I would not could not dared not speak the words I had in mind

Those words of criticism that in truth weren't very kind

Those selfish seeds of Satan born to tear another down

That never never never in a Christian should be found

For though I was disgusted with the things that I could see

About another person that offended even me

I could not see within them all the battles that they fought

Nor hear the cries within them for the freedom that they sought

. . .

Because though I was tempted to speak words that came to mind

I chose instead to speak the words that God helped me to find

That once found me a sinner worthy only of His curse

But filled my soul with joy and peace through scripture line and verse." From his post: Words (dynamicyouministry@gmail.com)

James 2:14-17; Matthew 25:31-46

Today's special link: More Than I Deserve By Debbie McEwen

"Are you lost in the wilderness of life?

If you look to Jesus, He will put a bridge over your troubled waters.

He will give peace to your soul, if you only turn to Him.

He gives us all so much more than we deserve."

Another special link today:

Cut the chains

Lisa Buffaloe- "Out of left field a thought came and blindsided my emotions. Words said by someone in the past replayed in my mind entangling me in a web of anger and hurt."

List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!

Upcoming posts-

#45 The Shepherd Must be with His People in Their Times of Need
4/17- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#46 The Shepherd's Accountability
19th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

Self-Discipline: The Missing Element in Christianity
21st- Saturday's post by James H. Cagle

#47 Questions You will Face Before God
24th-Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel