The Enemy of Offense

Offense is a strong enemy. It creeps in, sometimes without our knowledge or consent. Sometimes it lies dormant in our hearts, like a silent killer, rearing its ugly head when we least expect it.  It feeds on and breeds hurt, anger, and bitterness.  When our hearts are offended, something shuts down and life is cut off. Offense builds a wall of self-preservation…or so we would like to believe.

Have you ever seen a wounded dog? They hide away to lick their wounds and try to take care of themselves by themselves. They become very defensive toward anyone who would attempt to help.  To us, they seem angry and rabid; but to them, they are doing what they think is best to treat their wound.

We do this same thing when we’ve been offended. We retreat, try to care for ourselves alone, and snap at anyone who dares suggest that we’re incapable of handling it on our own. Offense hinders relational intimacy. It creates division between the offended and the offender. Think about a time when someone hurt you. The last thing you want to do is be close to that person! You crave distance, if even for a short time. God’s Word is a story of sinful man being reconciled to a holy God. It’s a beautiful idea. But Satan knows the power of reconciliation and he will try everything He can to create and maintain division. You’re welcome; I just exposed his strategy. Don’t let him win.

Even sneakier than offense built up in our hearts toward people are the sly offenses that sever our intimacy with the Lord. “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” –Luke 7:3.  I believe that Jesus spoke these words to more than just non-Christians who might be offended by His teachings and His works. As believers, we should guard our hearts all the more against anything that would offend them. We need to constantly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of offense that may have crept in and afflicted our relationship with Him. Rid yourselves of anything that hinders love.

When life doesn’t go as we plan or like, our hearts become offended. Most of us don’t recognize it, though. Most of us who consider ourselves to be among the “mature” in Christ would never fathom out rightly blaming God.  Consider this: Offense toward God can manifest when faith, fire, dreams, and hope begin to die. Let’s be real. After a disappointment, you believe a little less for the next miracle. You get a little less excited about things. You start making back up plans for your dreams. You’re more “logical” than you were during that “fanatic” stage of life.  Any of these sound familiar?

Why?? I would propose that our hearts were offended somewhere along the way and we began to believe the lie that we can’t have the ideal. God is an ideal, perfect, too-good-to-be-true kind of God! Instead of retreating to lick our wounds, we should run to Him who is Healer. Find out where you got offended and be vulnerable enough to receive healing and restoration. Really believe that He’s ALWAYS good. Live like He’ll never leave or forsake you (Josh. 1:5). Know in the depths of your soul that He has plans for you that are good and not evil (Jer. 29:11). Every single time. You are not the exception to His promises!  Believe those things. Act accordingly. Fight accordingly. If all of those promises are, in fact, true, then we can trust that whatever our disappointment, hurt, or trial, God’s idea, His plan, is Psalm 23. He’s the best Shepherd.

I began this by saying that offense is a strong enemy.  And it is.  But our God is able to combat and defeat even the strongest enemies.  He always causes us to triumph.

Written by: Megan Goodson