Today’s devotional might not be the most ‘joyfull’ thing to read, but if you put this into practice, I can assure that you will live a much happier life!

Are you ready? You’re about to read three statements that might make you cringe, but bare with me, cause these aren’t my words but God’s!

• Bless those who curse you. (Matthew 5:44-45)
• Forgive others as God has forgiven you. (Colossians 3:13)
• Don’t take offense. (Proverbs 19:11)

Why?

When you curse those who’ve hurt you, hold onto unforgiveness, and offense, this can breed

• contemptment
• bitterness
• resentment

Okay now relax your shoulders, unfurrow your brows, unclench your jaw and come back to reading this without offense!

Let’s dive deeper into what offense does. Let’s say someone has said something about you that you know isn’t true? Your first reaction might be to come at them. However, revenge or one-upping someone is not your responsibility as a child of God. 

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19 NLT

Instead of taking offense, stand in defense in prayer! Guard your heart so that this offense will not take root and turn into bitterness and resentment towards that person or situation.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Proverbs 4:23-24 NIV 

Just as a gatekeeper for a house won’t let certain people in, be one for your heart. Do not let offense and unforgiveness into your heart or else this can steal, kill and destroy you!

How can you be a gatekeeper of your heart?

You must fill your heart with the Word of God!

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45 NIV

At the core of offense and unforgiveness is the heart. What is your heart filled with? As a child of God, your heart should be filled with the Word of God so that you wouldn’t be so easily beset by such things. 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 NIV

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Let’s say You were having an amazing day, then you saw the person’s name of who offended you and your whole mood changes. 

Or you are jamming out to some music and then you see the car of someone who made you mad years ago and your mind starts replaying all the bad memories and you get mad again. (true story lol)

Offense and its twin unforgiveness can actually take control of your life! Offense can literally take away your joy! 

To live a life free from offense and unforgiveness, you can start by praying this prayer:

Father, I thank You for being the one who forgave me of all my sins. 

I repent for all the times I didn’t extend the same grace to other people. Lord, I forgive (insert their names here) for what they did. You said if we do not forgive others You wouldn’t forgive me, so Lord I confess my sin of unforgiveness and offense and ask that You would now forgive me of all the sins I have committed against You. You said in Isaiah 53:5 that by Your stripes we are healed, so Father heal me from this hurt emotionally and any lingering pain! I thank You for Your forgiveness and I pray You would take control of what I say, guard my lips, so that I will continue to forgive others. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Just as a cloud covers the sun and it starts to get dark around you. That is what sin does in our lives. Gods light is shining but our sin is the cloud that separates us from His light. 

It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.

Isaiah 59:2 NLT

However once we confess our sins He will forgive, and the cloudiness of our lives move away as His light shines! 

Remember, no weapon formed against you shall prosper and you can silence every voice that rises up to accuse you. (Isaiah 54:17)

Whatever the enemy meant for evil, God will always turn it around for your good. God will always work every thing together for your good. The Holy Spirit is your Advocate against every Adversary (John 14:26)

As they say, Let go and Let God!