How to Forgive - Leading a Freedom-Filled Life Sample

Unoffendable

Now that we have walked through offense, the pain it causes, and forgiveness, let’s look at how we can avoid holding onto offenses in the first place. Let me suggest something potentially radical – what if we became unoffendable?

Allow me to explain.

It’s foolish to assume we will sail through life without hurt knocking at our door. The only realistic assumption is that we will get hurt again somewhere along the way, and we will have to decide what to do about it long-term.

Maybe we could decide to drop offense before it even happens. Perhaps we could develop the mindset that offense is no good for us, harms us, and only damages our well-being.

I’m not suggesting we become doormats, allowing others to treat us in any way they wish. No. I suggest we don’t allow the poor treatment from others to seep through to our sense of well-being.

Think of offense as a ball. When a ball is thrown at us, our natural reaction is to catch it. It’s similar to offense. We naturally want to grab it. Hold it. Keep it. As if, in doing so, we gain power over the offender. Friends, this is simply not the case, as we have learned on days 1-3 of this devotional.

The Bible says this:

‘It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.’ (Galatians 5:1 NIV)

We are encouraged in Scripture to - once freed - stay free! This is the heart of today’s message. May we not get tangled up in offense again but live unoffendable lives.

How to become unoffendable:

• When offense comes, don’t react at the moment; respond later. Reacting looks like angry retorts and hurtful comebacks. Responding looks like a thought-through, measured reply.
• Pray for the person who has offended you. Ask God to give you heaven’s perspective on them. It may be very different from yours, especially at the moment.
• If offense repeatedly comes from the same person, consider putting some boundaries between you and that individual.
• Regularly ‘check’ yourself. Like a health check, ask yourself – am I harboring a poor opinion/offense about someone?
• Don’t deny the pain. This only creates numbness and a blockage in our emotions. Feel the hurt and forgive anyway. Your feelings will catch up with your decision soon enough.
• Process the situation by giving it some thought, but don’t dwell. Dwelling can often provide a foothold for an offense.

We hope these practical tips will help you become unoffendable and live a life free from unforgiveness.

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