I had a friend share with me recently something that she read in a book on prayer. In the book they gave a definition on what it means to be dead to self. The basic premise is if you can be offended and hold on to that offense you have not died to self. A dead person can not be offended and surely a dead person has no means to hold on to an offense for years on end. If we are truly living a life of surrender to Christ can we take offense or hold an offense ... whether imaginary or real?
Later in Matthew chapter 24 it says that "...the love of many will grow cold". When we have taken offense we have a tendency to build walls around our hearts. These walls keep us from being able to love unconditionally with the "LOVE OF CHRIST". Proverbs 18:19 states: "A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle." Wow ... do you know of any "wall builders"? I know that I've built walls in the past ... walls that have had to come tumbling down.
In John Bevere's book, THE BAIT OF SATAN, he says: "We construct walls when we are hurt to safeguard our hearts and prevent any future wounds. We become selective, denying entry to all we fear will hurt us. We withhold access until these people have paid there debt in full. We open our lives only to those we believe are on our side. Yet often these people who are "on our side" are offended as well. So, instead of helping, we stack additional stones on our existing walls. Without our knowing when it happens, these walls of protection become a prison."
People that are offended have a tendency to be able to find other people who are offended. We can think in our warped sense of reality that "I've found a brother or sister who understands my hurt" but, instead we've found someone that helps us build the walls to our prison. We frenzy feed off of each others negative feelings and words to the point our bellies are full of bitterness and bile and we can't eat of the truths that God would have us devour that would bring healing and health. What have you filled your self with. Is your happiness found in the freedom of unconditional love or the chains of bitterness and un-forgiveness? How sad it is when you can actually see the "people of God" delight in sharing their offense. If you've been around people much you know exactly what I mean.
God's heart is for His children to be reconciled .... to be in fellowship one with the other. Can you think of someone that is a child of God that you would not allow within your walls? Isn't it time for the walls of un-forgiveness and bitterness to come down? Isn't it time for the "church" to be the "CHURCH" and not do things as the world would do them? We have bought into the philosophies of the world in how we handle our offenses. We have bought into lies that continue to breed division and strife. We have bought into the mode of self-preservation at all costs. While the church has been busy licking its own wounds the world has been going to hell.
It's time for God's children to dismantle their walls .... break free from their prisons and come forth in victory ... united against an enemy that has been laughing at the folly of our ways. I am not saying that the hurts you may have experienced aren't real ... I am saying that it is time to release them ... release yourself ... to live in the true freedom that Christ has for you.
Why is it that the walls that need to be are broken down and the walls that shouldn't be are built up?
I mean the wall we have to separate ourselves from the world's influences should not keep us in, but strengthen us to go out and touch lives with the love of Christ. You are right in what you wrote. The walls that are built only isolate us and keep the world in the "dark". O Lord, warm our hearts with Your love. May Your love compel us to share Your message of eternal life. Amen.
Teresa