Offense.
Something very common in each man's heart. But it's always something personal. Very personal.
I am no expert but i am not also excempt to this. I get seasons in this life where its an occupant in my heart. Like an unwanted thief it comes to steal, kill and destroy my joy.
We might vary what it may be but like any other form of offense its rooted to one thing: Selfishness. Offense only looks out for its own good. What satisfies you. What you feel. What you should get. You might recognize its friends- self-pity, self-indulgence, self depreciation. Different names one root:SELF.
When we come to worship, we turn our focus away from us and focus on the identity of God. The time when the previous ocupant of your heart which is Self is dethroned and lets Jesus reign.
Because offense is a choice, a decision and not a feeling. We can choose to count the emotions and the one we let go. And worship reminds us that God is bigger than our emotions, our feelings and our hurts. That Jesus is bigger than our offended heart.
If we fix our gaze on what we are feeling it hinders Jesus to bless us. I remembered Psalm 73 in which the writer likens himself to an animal as it raves on about his offense to God as he sees the wicked prosper and the righteouss struggle. Or another picture could be coming to worship God and have a offended heart a child having a fit or tantrum because his father did not gave him what he asked for.
Oh it might sound extreme but we are like that if we keep offense. When we don't give our all because we prayed and God did not answer what we expected from Him. The truth is, it not God's loss but always been ours.
Let it go. It won't help if you keep it. Choose today to let go of that offense.
Choose to have an unoffended worship.
Something very common in each man's heart. But it's always something personal. Very personal.
I am no expert but i am not also excempt to this. I get seasons in this life where its an occupant in my heart. Like an unwanted thief it comes to steal, kill and destroy my joy.
We might vary what it may be but like any other form of offense its rooted to one thing: Selfishness. Offense only looks out for its own good. What satisfies you. What you feel. What you should get. You might recognize its friends- self-pity, self-indulgence, self depreciation. Different names one root:SELF.
When we come to worship, we turn our focus away from us and focus on the identity of God. The time when the previous ocupant of your heart which is Self is dethroned and lets Jesus reign.
Because offense is a choice, a decision and not a feeling. We can choose to count the emotions and the one we let go. And worship reminds us that God is bigger than our emotions, our feelings and our hurts. That Jesus is bigger than our offended heart.
If we fix our gaze on what we are feeling it hinders Jesus to bless us. I remembered Psalm 73 in which the writer likens himself to an animal as it raves on about his offense to God as he sees the wicked prosper and the righteouss struggle. Or another picture could be coming to worship God and have a offended heart a child having a fit or tantrum because his father did not gave him what he asked for.
Oh it might sound extreme but we are like that if we keep offense. When we don't give our all because we prayed and God did not answer what we expected from Him. The truth is, it not God's loss but always been ours.
Let it go. It won't help if you keep it. Choose today to let go of that offense.
Choose to have an unoffended worship.
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