How to Not Be Offended

2 Timothy 2:22-26
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

How can we not be offended?  That is a tough question to answer when you are in the midst of a conflict with anyone.  Maybe there is unforgiveness or there is rebellion in your life and you think too highly of yourself.  Or maybe you think it is ok to not forgive someone when they do something against you even if they have admitted the offense and asked for forgiveness.  Perhaps you think, "what's in it for me? You get to hurt me and then come to me for forgiveness and all I get is nothing."

Show me someone that says these manner of things and I will show you a person sliding head first into destruction.  These people are angry and have hatred in their heart.  They will be very self centered and likely they have been abused in the past and this is the reaction to the abuse.  They need Jesus and the Word to set them free.

Maybe you want to hold on to the punishment you feel you rightfully are allowed to express upon the person that has done something against you.  And why do you think that is? The scriptures say otherwise and in fact when you say, "I don't want to forgive" you are opening up the door for Satan to rule your life.  You will go to a place of torment not tribulation. A place where you hate and think on all the evil things someone has done to you or is thinking about doing.  You pass judgments based upon your feelings and you then dole out justice.  You act as the Judge.  You take the place of God in your mind.  You worship yourself when you do that and that is idolatry.

“I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.”

You become that strange god when you decide you can judge the heart of another and then pass a judgment upon them and then hold them to paying them back for the offense.  It is the trick and trap of Satan to tell you that you can judge people in this manner and then hold bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart towards them.

If someone says they cannot forgive then they have a deep root of bitterness in their heart and they are on the road to destruction. Alcoholism, sickness, all manner of problems manifest in people that are unforgiving.

But here is what God says we can do and He gives us a way out of unforgiveness, bitterness and of being offended.

I am a forgiven person and I am willing to confess that I've been wrong with the wrong attitude and having anger towards the person or offense that someone has done against me and that I have sinned against God, the other person and myself for not forgiving.

Ask God to forgive you for the specific reason you and instance you are unforgiving.

BIBLE VERSES YOU CAN USE:
2 Timothy 2:22-26
Luke 17:1-5
Ecclesiastes 7:21-22
Matthew 7:1-8
Ephesians 4:32
Proverbs 11:12
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Colossians 3:13
Matthew 18:15-17
James 4:6
Philippians 2:3
Romans 12:10,16
Philippians 1:6
1 Corinthians 6:20
Romans 15:1

1 John 3:16 

Hebrews 12:15

Matthew 6:14-15 

Galatians 2:20
James 4:7
Ephesians 2:2 -3
Psalms 62:5
Romans 3:23
2 Corinthians 10:12
Psalms 118:8

1 John 2:10 

1 Corinthians 13:5
1 Peter 4:8

Luke 17:1-5
1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.


Matthew 7:1-6
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Ephesians 4:32 
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Proverbs 11:12
He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Colossians 3:13 
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Matthew 18:15-17 
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Philippians 2:3 
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Philippians 1:6 
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

1 Corinthians 6:20 
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Romans 15:1 
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

1 John 3:16 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Hebrews 12:15 
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Matthew 6:14-15 

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Galatians 2:20 
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

James 4:7 

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Ephesians 2:2-3

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Psalms 62:5
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Romans 3:23 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

2 Corinthians 10:12 

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Psalms 118:8 
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

1 John 2:10 
He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

1 Corinthians 13:5 
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

1 Peter 4:8 
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Say to God, "I make a choice by the power of the Holy Spirit to lay down this sin of unforgiveness."