PROTECT YOUR HEART FROM OFFENSE
Reflection from: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4H1pjBuopSqQkR0eh9wMRn
There will always be someone who will do us wrong, offend and hurt us. This matter will never be avoided because we cannot control someone's attitude and actions. There are people who will always love to see you down and broken. There will be people who will test your patience and most especially your faith. If we will focus on these people and dwell on the offense that they made towards us, we will just continue to hurt and scar ourselves deeper. We should learn how to guard our hearts from offenses that come from other people. How? Forgive.
Forgiving is never easy for us, humans. It is always difficult to close our eyes and not to look at someone's mistakes especially if their mistakes hurt and damaged us. It is so much more satisfying to revenge and hurt them back than forgiving them and forgetting their offenses. Remember that God forgave, forgives and will forgive us always. No matter how big or small our sin was. Whether we ask for forgiveness or not. He will always forgive because He loves us... unconditionally.
If the high and almighty God forgave you, what is the reason for you to hold grudge in your heart and refuse to forgive your brother/ sister that has broke your heart, hurt you and has sinned against you? It is not easy for us to forgive but by practice and God's grace, we will be able to. By faith, there will come a time that forgiving will not be a difficult task to do but it will be easy as a breathing.
I have read that forgiving means giving up to keep the justice in our own hands and surrendering it to God who is the loving and fair judge. When we forgive, it doesn't mean that our offender will not suffer from the consequences of the action he/she has made. God has His own system of punishment for those people who have sinned. Punishment that is not made out of anger and hate but punishment that is fair and made to discipline and made out of compassion and love. Shove hate and unforgiveness away from your heart and give it to God's hands and let Him avenge for you.
When our heart is full of hurt, sadness, grudge and unforgiveness, the positive and good things won't have space inside. That's why we need to release all of these negative things and God will start filling our hearts with love, joy, forgiveness, faith and other good things. Let it go and surrender it to God. Proverbs 17:9 says that "love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." Forgive no matter how hurt you are. Forgive despite of the pain and grudge you are feeling. Forgive for love to prosper. Forgive to repair broken relationships. Forgive and protect your heart from offense.
