We are all human right? Because we agree on this point, we can all agree that we have been offended at some point. The webster dictionary defines offend like this. To cause difficulty, discomfort, or injury. Also, to cause dislike anger or vexation. Have you ever been in this type of predicament? I can almost bet that if you haven’t been in this type of situation in the past 48 hours, you have most definitely had the opportunity to be.
I most definitely have! Have you ever noticed how holding onto that offense really drags you down. It keeps you out of a love walk and in division with others.
I was reading this morning in the Word. I started reading in one scripture and that scripture led me to another scripture. The first one was in First Peter 4:8-9. It says “…Because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”
The notes at the bottom of my bible led me to James 5:20. It says, “remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the way of error will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
The notes here led me to Proverbs 10:12. It says, “Hatred stirs up dissension (continuous quarreling), but love covers over all wrongs.”
This led me to Proverbs 17:9. It says, “Whoever fosters love covers over an offense but whoever repeats the matter separates close friend".
After writing all of these scriptures down, I contemplated over them for a while. I thought about conflicts and offenses between people. Here is what I gathered and wrote down from what I read.
“When someone gets offended (they get their feelings hurt, they get mad, they feel betrayed, they feel left out, etc.) they want to defend themselves because they feel just that “offended”. Just as the “offense” in a ball game has the ball on their side, the ball is in the “offended” party’s ball court. What they do is up to them in this moment. At this point they are not going against the party who offended them. Their fight is against the powers of darkness, not against flesh and blood. By retaliating in a vengeful way, you are setting yourself in Satan’s territory.
He knows the way of the game and how to win if you allow him to take you into his territory (fleshly, worldly actions). You want to take him to Gods turf instead. In that setting Satan has no power, no authority, no comprehension.
We have a choice daily to walk by the Spirit or by the flesh. The flesh seems so easy because you can feel every emotion of frustration, aggravation or desire that is rushing through you. But by allowing these things to control you, you hand the ball back over to the enemy. He gains points to hold against you later.
But exhorting self-control and allowing the Spirit of God to reign through you, you take back everything Satan has stolen from you. Starting with on decision, on step of exhorting your authority in God (to have self-control at that moment) you turn around and hand the ball to go. He will take the ball straight to the goal.”
Giving the ball to God is done by relying on him to help you walk out his word. This is done through studying and prayer. Meditating on the Word day and night. When frustration and aggravation come up, it is done by recognizing that, yes, this is a real feeling. Then saying, but I don’t have to let it become my identity. I can be the tool God uses to radiate love to the one who has done me wrong and others around me. Love does not make sense, because our flesh wants to defend. But love says something different. Love says that I can respond without giving Satan any ammo.
Not allowing offense to take over allows for the Word to work. Remember the scripture at the beginning said. "Hatred stirs up dissension and love covers up a multitude of sins." Love is patient with others, and it does not hold wrong.
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