“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 (ESV)
We live in an hour when people, even/especially, in the Church, are so easily offended. What is being revealed is the hidden pride in our hearts. God is attracted to the humble (James 4:6), but when we feel humiliated, our pride is exposed. When we are offended we are responding to our flesh. When you are offended, please see it as an opportunity to repent and deal with your hidden pride.
Offense is a form of unforgiveness, which derails one from walking in the Spirit. Like offense, unforgiveness is repulsive to God. Jesus even taught that to not forgive someone is to hinder and block the Father’s forgiveness in our own life (Matthew 6:14-15).
Ask God to make you unoffendable, meaning expose every form of pride, at every level in your life! Next time when you feel offense/unforgiveness, instead of reacting to it, ask God to show you what’s at the core of your response. If you currently have offense/unforgiveness toward anybody repent of it immediately and make it right. Pray this for your pastor and church. Cry out for the Church across our city to be unoffendable, full of grace and forgiveness. Pray that the Church in Athens would be attractive to Jesus by our humility instead of repulsive because our pride!
