“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.” —Proverbs 19:11 (AMPC)
In this world, we constantly interact with people who have diverse backgrounds, values, and behaviors. Because of this, you will inevitably face offences. However, you should not be easily offended, and when you are, you must be quick to let it go. I know this counsel is not always easy to follow, especially considering the hurtful things people can do. Yet, no matter the pain, God does not want us to hold onto offence. The key to overcoming this is to walk in love; while it might sound overly simple, it is the absolute truth.
Unfortunately, many people misunderstand the true nature of love. They define it merely as a feeling or an emotion, but it goes far beyond that. God’s kind of love is much bigger than we often realize. If you are truly walking in love, you will not be easily offended. Even when offenses do come, you will not hold onto them for long because of the love of God working within you (Romans 5:5). The challenge is that many do not understand the full scope of love, so they fail to see it as the ultimate answer to overcoming offense.
However, God’s kind of love is indeed the answer. The Bible provides a profound description of what this looks like in practice:
“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].” —1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMPC)
Did you see that? The real question is, have you been walking in this kind of love? If your answer is no, I encourage you to embrace it, as it will protect your heart from being easily offended. The next time you are hurt, choose to manifest the love of God rather than taking offense. Praise God!
Today’s Rhema
When you walk in God’s kind of love, you will not be easily offended!
Prayer
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for revealing this truth to me. I choose this day to genuinely walk in agape love. As I do this, the grace to let go and forgive others is mightily at work in my life, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
