Offense.....

If the devil can keep you offended, then he is winning!!!!  I have noticed many times especially in the church that many Christians carry around offenses.  It really does sadden my heart to see Christians carry offenses with one another, we have the "secret" and that is Gods Word and we should know better than to fall for Satans Trap.  There have been times in my life where someone has hurt my feelings and it honestly showed the level of "Christian Maturity" that I was at.  The way I would measure my level of growth is to see how long I carried that offense.  If I carried that offense for months, then I was very young and immature in my walk.  If it took me days to carry that offense, I was getting better.  If it took me only a few hours, then I knew I was listening to the Holy Spirit because I would feel the conviction and Gods Word would be above the way I felt.  It is so important to remember things from Gods perspective.  Why do people get surprised when other humans let them down?  This should be no shock to us, we are all sinners and we all fall short.  We can expect hurts in our lifetime and we know that offenses are going to come.  How do we prepare for them?  By being in the Word and renewing our minds by the washing of the Word.  How do you spend your free time?  When you feel hurt, what is the first thing you do?  Answering these few questions can say alot.  The devil will look for ANY way in, and it is up to us to stand on Gods Word and be dressed properly (in the spiritual armor of God).  We have nobody to blame, we can only answer for ourselves and our own actions.  Many times people like to point the finger and explain their behavior because of someone else's action.  The truth is each person will have to answer for their own actions, so we cannot blame anyone else.  No matter what someone does, we have the choice to be godly or not.  It really is as simple as that, and many people like to complicate it.  Are you offended at the moment? Do you struggle with this?  Give it to God!!! Forgive because he has forgiven you when you offended him!!!  It puts things in perspective when we see it from his view!!!  How do we see things from HIS view?  Here is how he sees it: (read below)

Proverbs 19:11- Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 18:19- A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
Ecclesiastes 7:21-22- Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.  Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Matthew 18:15-17- "if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
James 3:16- For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Leviticus 19:18- You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love you neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
Luke 17:3-4-Pay attention to yourselves! If you brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, "I repent," you must forgive him,