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“Imagine what kind of life we’d live if we had the unoffendable heart of Jesus!”
Offenses are a part of living in a fallen world and have only gotten more prevalent. Matthew 24:10 teaches us that in the last days, “many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” Opportunities to be offended will always be there, but we get to choose our response.
In this episode, we are invited to accept God’s offer to no longer carry old offenses and new grudges with us into the next season. It’s time for a new beginning. It’s time to lay our pain and hurt in the arms of Jesus and receive His grace and power to live with an unoffendable heart.
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We’ll be discussing…
- Forgiveness and choosing not to be offended is very difficult on our own, but possible through Christ
- To forgive we need to acknowledge the hurt and ask God to help us, choose to release the person or situation to God and then refuse to take it back
- Forgiveness frees us to truly love people
- Rather than being critical and suspicious, an unoffendable heart allows us to enjoy healthy relationships
- “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” ~ Ruth Bell Graham
- Forgiveness isn’t a gift we give someone else as much as it is a gift we give ourselves
- Getting offended for someone else is dangerous because it not only infects our hearts but it spreads to others like a virus
- If we belong to God, we can trust that He will take care of us and make it right
- The world is hungry to see the kind of love talked about in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in the lives of Christians
Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7 TLB
8 Steps to Cultivating an Unoffendable Heart
- Determine to be a good forgiver
- Refuse to over-react
- Seek first to understand – then to be understood
- Believe the best, not the worst
- Grace people, don’t shame people
- Refuse to pick up someone else’s offense
- Trust God to make it right
- Ask God to help you love people
Additional Resources
016: Choosing to Forgive | The Living Room
Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us From the Inside Out
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I’d love to hear from you… What helps you to overcome an offense?
