I have been thinking a lot about how emotions affect our lives including our health. The scripture states “and take no offense”. The phrasing indicates to me that God knows many opportunities to be offended will enter our lives daily. He has commanded that we decline the opportunity to be offended. It is not just so we look like nice Christians, but it is so we live more peacefully.
Anytime we allow people or circumstances to offend us there is a whole range of changes that occur in our bodies to try to accommodate this emotion. See, we were designed to live Kingdom lives on this earth so our structure was not designed to carry such a negative emotion.
I have noticed that once you allow an offense to settle in, over time you become such a negative, complaining person. It seems no one can please you not matter what they say or do. Careful inspection will often reveal that it is not always the other person or a certain circumstance that is getting on your nerves. It is the result of having made an opening for an offense to settle and not the floodgate to negativity is open.
Guard your heart. Nothing that anyone does or says is worth the peace that will be stolen when we are offended.
“Who may ascend to the hill of the Lord, he who has clean hands and a clean heart?” When I read David’s words, I know this gal has a lot of work to do to ascend to the place she wants to be.
Hope to see you in a Tea Room soon,
Elizabeth Foy