How To Overcome Being Easily Offended

Jesus was talking about Christians who offend weaker Christians and causes them to stumble. This could be through our actions towards that person, or a lifestyle of sin that we not have given up. Jesus said that it would be better for them if their lives were cut short than to cause a weaker Christian to stumble.

James 4:17 “Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James says that if we know the right thing to do and we choose not to do it, then we have crossed over into sin. That is what happens when we become offended, it changes how we would normally respond to situations and makes us susceptible to sinning.

The last point I want to make is this. Jesus said “….but woe to him through whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.”

B. The results of not handling offense

The devil uses offense to divide and conquer even the best of Christians.

I have witnessed it tear a part churches

Failing of great business ventures

Destroyed marriages, and the best of relationships.

Delays God’s plan in our lives

No one is exempt from offences. We will each have to deal with offences as long as we are on this earth.

Have you seen elephants tied up at the circus? They are held in place by a little chain around the ankle fastened into the ground by a stake. This multi-ton animal is held in place by something you or I could probably pull out. Why does this happen? When elephants are small, they are trained to stay in one place by a huge heavy chain and a stake securely fastened. Every time the little one tries to pull away, it can't. It's securely held in place. Soon, this baby pachyderm will be convinced that no matter how hard it tries, it can't get away. It gives up.

We must understand that we have been given the ability in our spiritual growth, much like that adult elephant, to break free of the offenses that have bound us for too long. The purpose of Satan is to use offences as a trap to hold you from all that God wants you to be. Devil knows that harboring unforgiveness in our lives can not only stop our progress in the things of God, but it can delay God’s perfect plan for our lives. So, He constantly provides opportunity for us to be offended. Therefore, we need to learn what to do when offences come our way.

C. God’s counsel on how to respond to offenses

Luke 17:3-4 3Pay attention and always be on your guard [looking out for one another]. If your brother sins (misses the mark), solemnly tell him so and reprove him, and if he repents (feels sorry for having sinned), forgive him. 4And even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times and says, I repent [I am sorry], you must forgive him (give up resentment and consider the offense as recalled and annulled).

In these verses, we find another key to dealing with offenses. After Jesus said that offenses will come, He said that we should be on guard. He said when a brother sins against us (offends us) we should be ready to forgive them as soon as they repent, even if it happens seven times a day.