In our present culture, many have become conditioned to live in a state of offense. Below are examples of offenses I have observed in our day to day lives:
We receive poor service by the wait staff at a restaurant. We expected better, so we grumble and complain about how the service should have been better and refuse to leave a tip, or a tip so small to teach the waiter a lesson that he should do better next time.
The cashier doesn’t return the proper change so we attack her with our words about how she should know basic math.
Driving in traffic, people blare their horns, roll down their windows and shout at one another, or use unfriendly hand gestures.
At a doctor’s appointment, we are not seen within the 15 to 30 minutes of our scheduled appointment time. Therefore, we begin to complain about how they do not respect our time.
Checking out at the grocery store, the person in front of us does not have enough money and has to return items. And we’ve already unloaded our cart and are forced to wait. More time wasted out of our busy schedule.
We call customer service and we must go through a myriad of prompts that takes 15 minutes before we finally talk to a real person, then we have to answer all the same questions again. We spend an hour on the phone for what seemed like should have taken only 15 minutes to resolve in the first place.
My opinion is that the enemy of our soul has taught us to live with the expectation that others will meet our needs the way we imagine they should. This causes us to be offended with people when those expectations are not met. Sadly, this seems to be the norm among people in our society.
Yet as believers, we live in this world, but are not of this world. The Bible teaches us a different way to respond when we are the opportunity to be offended arises.
When we live by the principles of the Kingdom of God, when we are offended by someone, we must choose to forgive.
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25 ESV).
Anything means just what it states. It is “anything whatever; something; no matter what.”
Anyone is defined as “any person.”
A trespass is defined as an “offense, wrongdoing, sin.” (BDAG)
Remember forgiveness is a choice we make that…
- Keeps us in right relationship with God and with others
- Frees us from demonic torment
- Allows us to live in freedom and enjoy life
- Allows God to forgive us and answer our prayers
- Releases us from bondage to others
- Releases God’s divine healing power
Remember forgiveness is not…
- A feeling
- A weakness
- Approving or excusing the wrong behavior
- Forgetting what happened
- Denying the pain
- Does not mean you have to reconcile with the person or trust the offender
- Conditional (i.e. I’ll forgive you if you____)
How much different will our lives be if stopped living in a perpetual state of offense by recognizing them and forgiving quickly?
What if we pray to see the day-to-day circumstances that offend us through God’s eyes? Our compassion for others will grow.
As soon as we recognize offenses that occur in our lives, we must forgive quickly. This keeps us in right relationship with God, our Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ.
When we live according to the Kingdom of God principles, we will experience a place of peace and intimacy with our Savior. In that, we will reach a state of being where we are not so easily offended.
Are you ready to overcome daily offenses and receive peace?
Let’s pray:
Father God, I come humbly before you today. I acknowledge that I have offenses in my heart and I choose to forgive [the person who caused the offense] for [name the offense]. Lord, I forgive myself for holding offenses in my heart. Father, I ask You to open my eyes to see circumstances the way You do. Lord, I ask for a heart of compassion and understanding. I desire to live according to Your principles and rise above the worldly circumstances. In Jesus name, Amen.
