Offenses are inevitable. And no matter how perfect, sinless, loving, caring, good, understanding, godly, prayerful or perfect you are, there will always be offenses, either from us or to us. But how we handle offenses when they come is what matters most.
Leviticus 19:17 NLT
“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives. Confront people directly so you will not be held guilty for their sin.
Leviticus 19:17 MSG
“Don’t secretly hate your neighbor. If you have something against him, get it out into the open; otherwise you are an accomplice in his guilt.
Anytime anyone offends you and you refuse to tell them or forgive them, you’ve become a transgressor like them because sooner than you think, you will repeat the same mistake they made. That is why the Bible, from the verse above, teaches us that when people offend us, or when we feel offended, the only way we can clear ourselves from guilt as well is to tell the person, otherwise forgive the person and forget about that offense completely – never think or talk about that offense again and never use it to react against the person.
But if what the person did to you was so painful and it is beginning to lead to hatred, anger, malice, resentment, etc, then you must tell the person directly what their offenses are. If you don’t do this, God will count you as guilty as that person. Why? Because hatred, anger, malice, resentment, etc are all sins against God. And no reason can justify them before Him. So, instead of allowing them to fill your heart because someone offends you, save yourself by confronting the offender in love and telling them where they hurt you.
Don’t allow offenses to make you have issue with God or to hinder your prayers or lead you to hell. Don’t become shareholder in other people’s sin because you refuse to forgive. You and I will not fail God in Jesus name, amen!
Posted by: Taiwo Divine
