Offended By Nothing

We live in a touchy-feely world.  The word “love” is thrown around quite loosely, and can often be the expression of a present mood versus a willingness to make any real sacrifice on our part.  We attach it to the warm, cozy feelings that swell in our heart when we think of the object of our current affections – but how fickle those feelings can be!  How many a woman has been told by a man that he loves her, only to have him desert her as soon as the relationship required any real sacrifice?  How many a man has had his heart ripped out when his sweetheart tells him that she no longer “feels in love” with him – or to abandon him after a serious injury or financial reversal?  Is it really love?

This same self-deception can occur in my relationship with God.  It is easy to have a warm feeling for a God Who sacrificed so much on my behalf.  And it is just as easy to call that warm feeling “love.”  Yet it is not how the Father defines that word.  Over and over His Word lays out the true litmus test for the believer, shining back into my quasy soul and calling out a sincered, radical, life-altering love that will shape everything – even down to my thoughts and feelings.

You see…He says that if I truly love Him with all my heart, soul, strength and mind…and if I truly love my neighbor as myself – and everything else in between – then there will be an amazing, tangible, transformation that takes place in this flesh of mine.

Nothing shall offend me. Nothing.

Not rejection. Not misunderstandings. Not false accusations nor railing. Not critical words or hypocritical scales and balances. Not injustice. Not favoritism. Not good times or bad times. Not good leadership or bad leadership.  Not success or failure on the part of those I trust.

Nothing.

Why? Because something completely disappears from my nature when I wholly adore my King and those that He created. My smallness that looks for everything to be fair and equal melts away and I am satisfied with doing His will. My protection of me – of my sensibilities, opinions, feelings, reputation – evaporates for I finally understand that it isn’t about me at all… it’s about HIM and THEM. As my self-love is weeded out, along with its fruit – jealousy, pride, envy, and coveteousness – I am free.

Free to find my worth in the face of my Creator. Free to love what He loves. Free to minister without any strings, to love without fear. I am not free from pain, from suffering, from tears – but from allowing them to put me in a prison called “hurt” and “bitterness.” Are we wounded at times through the thoughtlessness of others? Yes, but we find comfort in our Father’s arms and go on. We forgive. We stay true, we stay soft, we stay vulnerable…no traces of walls or blame or the shame that goes with being offended.

Too often in ministry, it isn’t just those we minister to that are offended – it is us – those that are doing the ministering. People are rude, ungrateful, selfish, etc…and if we are not careful, we can become offended, and then bitter, and then instead of helping the cause of Christ – many are defiled.

When the tears flow, and I find myself struggling to release events or people from their part in my pain, I step back – fall on my knees – and ask my Father, “Where do I not love You enough? Where do I not love others as I ought? for I am offended at life or this person and it ought not be.” Without fail, when I ask, His Spirit shines a light on my places that are so hidden even I was not aware of their presence. He shows me where I am wrong in a misplaced desire or expectation and draws me back to Himself…His priorities, His value system, His view, His heart, His comfort, and the glorious beauty of His ways.

Thank you Jesus for Your unfailing patience and love ?Help us to walk above offence and bathed in great peace.