Release the Offenseნიმუში

How to Release the Offense

I am fairly certain that by now you may be asking, “How do I release the offense?”

That is a great question. And in God’s Word, we discover the answer.

Whenever God gives a command, He gives the power to accomplish that command. If God has commanded us to forgive, and He has, then He has also given us the power to RELEASE THE OFFENSE.

The first step in releasing the offense is being aware of yourself. Acknowledge that you are sincerely offended. Admit that what ‘Sally’ or ‘Johnny’ or your colleague or your favorite cousin did hurt (or angered, or scared, or grieved, or…) you, and that you are carrying resentment in your heart today because of it.

The second step is awareness of God. Acknowledge that God is aware that you are harboring unforgiveness against that group or individual. But also acknowledge that He sees what happened, and He knows it's effect upon you. He knows it was wrong, and though He forgives it, He will never excuse it. Once you are aware, now you are ready to release.

The Book of Mark contains a strange story about Jesus and a fig tree. The fig tree appeared to have fruit from the distance, and Jesus approached it to get food because He was hungry. His disciples were with Him. When He discovered it had no fruit, He spoke to it, cursed it, and in effect commanded it to die. Evidently, there was no visible sign of change in the tree. The next day, however, His disciples noticed that it had dried up during the night --- from the root. They called it to Jesus’ attention, and He used it as an object lesson to instruct them about faith, prayer, and forgiveness.

Remember that releasing unforgiveness is not a feeling. You may cry as you forgive, or you may not. Jesus teaches us that forgiveness, at its core, is an act of faith. Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith comes by hearing the word of God. To release an offense is to exercise this faith, stepping forward even when evidence of change is not immediately visible. You alone must make a conscious decision to forgive because you believe God, His Word, and His way of love to be true. If you will forgive as an act of faith, eventually the “tree” of the pain, anger, or resentment will “dry up from the root.” You can release the offense because God has empowered you to do so.

By the way, forgiveness has two phases: release and reconciliation. This lesson’s emphasis is the first phase. “Release” does not require anyone but God and you – not the person(s) who wronged you. You can do it now, by praying in faith, speaking out God’s Word.

LET US PRAY

Father, as an act of faith in Your Word, I release _________________. I realize that You do not require me to justify wrong-doing or to excuse it, for You do not. But You do want to free me as I release them from my grasp, into Yours. Therefore, I release each one who has harmed, abused, rejected, or hurt me, intentionally or unintentionally. I release my right to hate him/her/them. I do not have to feel good about this; I simply must obey this, because as I do so, just as the tree dried up after your Word was applied to it, my negative feelings will dry up as I apply Your Word to my life. This offense will distract me no longer – it shall die. I submit to Your Will in this matter. You forgave me. I forgive them. In Jesus’ name